US to tighten the purse strings to rein in Palestine

Fazle Rashid in New York Angered by Palestine's boldness to seek UN recognition as an independent an sovereign state the US lawmakers are forging ahead to cut the American financial assistance to Palestine. The US lawmakers have also threatened to suspend all contributions to UN agency that provides assistance to Palestine. The United States provides Palestine $500 million in financial aid annually. The critics of the move said it would not only destabilise the situation in the region but will also gravely hurt the US image. American aid to Palestine is not a favour to them. It is largely because the structures that are kept in place serve the Israeli and American interest, said a former Israeli officer. The Palestinian move to seek independent status has brazenly exposed American weakness for Israel. A recent report in the New York Post said the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is totally dependent on Israeli sleuth agency Mosad for all intelligence reports. Mosad is well entrenched in the Middle-East. The US has stopped contributions to the Unesco for upgrading Palestine's status. The Unesco was earlier target of the US ire for helping countries inimical to America. The US financial assistance is for strengthening and establishing the democratic institutions of Palestine and for a more stable region, a State Department was quoted as saying. She said financial assistance to Palestine is in the interest of America and Israel both. The Republican move to cut aid will affect infrastructure and development. Not only Palestine but also the UN will have to bear brunt of US anger. Chairman of the House foreign affairs committee, a rabid Israeli supporter, will preside over a meeting to overhaul US activities in the UN. Cutting off aid would be a further proof of US weakness for Israel.