Monday, September 04, 2006

Western Nations Withholding Money Shuts Down Palestinian Health Care & Education Systems

When Israel and the United States shut off the flow of funds to the Palestinian territory’s Hamas led government, they did so suggesting money would be funneled through non-governmental entities so as not to exacerbate the already high suffering of the people. Due to a prolonged lack of funds, doctors and teachers are now striking in the region.

It appears the age old tactic of dividing the poor and oppressed, pitting them against each other might just work again in Palestine. Don’t pay the doctors, nurses, teachers for over half a year and then watch what happens. They rise up striking out against the people who sign their non-forthcoming paychecks. Vital services have ceased to the region's mostly poor citizens.

One politician suggested groups were promoting anarchy. I hate to tell him, but it’s already there. The West’s causing the situation in Palestine to deteriorate is a world wide embarrassment. How many more people in the Middle East will die due to Western inattention? The U.S. government doesn’t even keep track of civilian deaths in military intervention, how will it track the deaths of innocents from lack of basic services? Once again the Bush team is flatfooted when it comes to reaching the hearts and minds of the people in the Middle East.

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