Saudi Arabia has assured the United States that money
raised in the kingdom for Palestinians is not used to fund the war against
Israel.
The assurance was obtained after members of Congress expressed concern
that the Saudis were funneling millions of dollars to Palestinian
insurgents. The congressional members said much of this money might be
directed to support the families of suicide-bombers.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said the Bush administration has
been assured by Riyad that money raised in Saudi Arabia does not support
Palestinian insurgents. Fleischer was referring to a three-day Saudi
telethon that raised $160 million for the Palestinian Authority and aligned
militias.
Organizers of the telethon Ñ the Saudi Committee for the Support of Al
Quds Intifada Ñ said the money would be sent to Palestinian "martyrs," a
term often used for suicide-bombers. Callers to the Saudi telethon said they
were donating money and cars to ensure the continuation of suicide bombings.
Several members of Congress have sent a letter to the Bush
administration demanding that the United States freeze the assets of Saudi
princes who donated to the telethon. "That's [millions of dollars raised in
the telethon] enough for thousands and thousands of suicide bombers," Rep.
Vito Fossella of New York said.
But in Washington, the Saudi embassy, denying that funds were headed for
suicide-bombers, defined "martyr" as one "victimized by Israeli terror and
violence." The White House appeared to agree.
"The Saudi telethon, as they have told it to us, is to provide
assistance to the Palestinian people, and that no money is going to go to
provide the homicide bombers with any assistance from the Saudi government,"
Fleischer said on Friday. "That is the word we have from the Saudi
government, and I pass that along."
Fleischer was referring to suicide bombers. It was the first time a U.S.
government spokesman had used the term "homicide bombers."
"These are not suicide bombings," Fleischer said. "These are not people
who just kill themselves. These are people who deliberately go to murder
others, with no regard to the values of their own life. These are
murderers."
