The EU has put funding for the Palestinian Authority on hold following this weekend’s terror attack by Hamas in Israel.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi announced that the European Commission is putting its full development portfolio — totaling €691 million — under review, with all payments immediately suspended.
“The foundations for peace, tolerance and co-existence must now be addressed. Incitement to hatred, violence and glorification of terror have poisoned the minds of too many,” the Hungarian commissioner said. “We need action and we need it now.”
The move comes as Germany and Austria announced the suspension of aid to the Palestinian territories.
When Palestinians unjustifiably kill 100s of civilians, we cut their aid.
When Israel unjustifiably kills 100s of civilians, we increase their aid.
How much EU aid is given to Israel per year, may I ask?
That’s a great question, but very difficult to answer accurately.
One example is the EU’s Horizon 2020 program, which gave a total of $450 million to Israel. The new updated version called Horizon Europe is expected to give about $1.35 billion in aid to Israel.
The reality of military aid is that it often comes in the form of a taxpayer funded discount. When Israel buys weapons from Italy, France, Germany, and especially the US, it often comes in the form of a “buy one, get one 1/2 off” type of discount. It’s a win for the buyer, it’s a win for the politicians, it’s a win for the arms manufacturers. Of course it’s a loss for the taxpayers, and especially for the people who are targeted by the weapons, but these groups do not have a seat at the negotiating table so their concerns are dismissed. If there is an accurate financial assessment of this type of aid, I am unfortunately unaware of it.
It’s less gruesome when the military/government does it.
Is it less gruesome to die to a bomb than to a gun? I’m not sure.
I think the real distinction is in the media portrayal. When those in power are violent, media naturally downplays and attempts to justify. When the powerless are violent, only then does the media focus on the victims and their suffering.
You can see this pattern with almost all western countries.
NATO install missiles in Turkey aimed at the USSR is fine. But, when the USSR installed missiles in Cuba it turned into a national security threat and a justification to invide Cuba and potentially start WW3.
You can clearly see the aggressor here.
The west is the trouble maker of the millennium.
I agree with what you have said, but I think a broader analysis is more helpful. There is nothing special about the west, they are behaving like people in power have always behaved.
The prime rule of international relations comes from Thucydides: “The strong do what they will, the weak suffer what they must.”
Ok Boris.