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Thread ID: 3667 | Posts: 3 | Started: 2002-11-24
2002-11-24 03:16 | User Profile
Note: 4 billion NIS at current exchange rates is about $855 million USD Source: Universal Currency Converter
From Ha'aretz, available online at: [url=http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=233655&contrassID=1&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y]http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/Sh...sID=0&listSrc=Y[/url]
Top Sharon adviser to discuss special aid request in Washington
By Aluf Benn, Ha'retz Correspondent November 23, 2002
The Prime Minister's Office bureau chief, Dov Weisglass, left for the United States Saturday night in preparation for Monday's meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice over Israel's request for special economic and security assistance.
Israel wants NIS 4 billion in military aid, to be given over a number of years, to support Israel's war on terror and to help the country face new strategic and military threats in preparation of the expected American-led war against Iraq. Israel also is asking that the Bush administration provide $10 billion in loan guarantees that would help ease its economic plight.
Finance Ministry Director General Ohad Marani, who arrived in the U.S. last week, will join Weisglass in his meeting with Rice.
The formal request for special assistance has yet to be formulated, according to a well-placed Israeli official. "It is to be drafted as discussions proceed," the official said.
Sharon brought up the need for American aid during his visit to Washington last month, and Weisglass' trip will continue these discussions, the official said.
There is no link, however, between Israel's request for special assistance and the U.S. recommendation that Israel release to the Palestinian Authority NIS 2.5 billion in tax revenues that have been frozen, the official said.
No breakthrough has been reported in negotiations over the release of the tax revenue to the PA, but Israeli officials expect that an agreement on the issue will be reached soon.
Weisglass met twice last week with PA Finance Minister Salam Fayaad and the discussions on the frozen tax revenues was mediated by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Daniel Kurtzer.
Israel is demanding that international accountants closely monitor the use of the funds to ensure that they are not used to support terror. Fayad opposes Israel's demand for international assessment, while Israel has rejected the PA's counter-proposal calling for a Palestinian accountant to supervise the use of the funds.
In a meeting on Thursday with Sharon, Kurtzer denied that a new "road map" for a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute has been drawn up. The sole plan of the Bush administration is the original peace formula which was shown to Sharon last month, the U.S. ambassador said.
On Tuesday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Ya'alon will make his first visit to Washington since taking over his new position. He will meet with top U.S. officials, including Rice and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
2002-11-24 15:15 | User Profile
America is a Jewish possession. We "white trash" just live here and pay tribute in the form of taxes.
-Z-
2002-11-24 21:41 | User Profile
Hmmm......this report from Dow Jones says it's $4 billion USD in aid, not 4 billion NIS
[url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/dowjones/20021124/bs_dowjones/200211241104000024]http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...211241104000024[/url]
Israel To Ask US For $4 Billion More Aid,$10 Billion In Loan Guarantees
Sun Nov 24,11:04 AM ET
JERUSALEM -(Dow Jones)- Israel plans to ask the U.S. for an additional $4 billion in aid plus loan guarantees totaling $10 million, TheMarker.com financial news service reported Sunday.
The $4 billion, to be paid out over several years, would be earmarked for defense expenditures incurred in connection with the Palestinian uprising, the report said. The loan guarantees would cushion the tottering Israeli economy, it said.
Israel is already the largest beneficiary of U.S. aid, receiving some $3 billion in military and civilian aid annually. The latest request for aid has been in the works for several months, and will be presented to top U.S. administration officials in Washington Monday, the report said.
Israel received $10 billion in U.S. loan guarantees in the early 1990s to help it assimilate nearly 1 million immigrants from the former Soviet Union.
There is speculation in Israel that this time special aid would be given in exchange for Israeli non-retaliation in the event of an attack on Iraq, or milder reprisals against Palestinian acts of terror.
TheMarker cited a top Israeli official as saying there was no connection between the aid request and a U.S. request that Israel transfer to the Palestinian Authority 2.5 billion shekels ($1=ILS4.6790) in revenue payments withheld since the uprising began more than two years ago.
The Finance Ministry reported separately that ILS70 million of that withheld money would be transferred to state-run Israel Electric Corp. to pay outstanding Palestinian Authority bills.
-By Amy Teibel; Dow Jones Newswires; 972-2-537-6985; amy.teibel@dowjones.com