Even Norway is shunning Hamas.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gar Store said Monday his country has severed all ties with Hamas established during the brief Palestinian Authority unity government.
In a meeting with President Shimon Peres, Gar Store said the Norwegian government now deals exclusively with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah and the PA Prime Minister Salam Fayad.
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the Norwegian foreign minister reaffirmed his government's commitment not to donate money to the Islamic group.
http://www.haaretz.com/...
Hamas: Taking it's lumps from the World Community.
In some excellent news for the average Palestinian, a new loan program is being enacted which will give them access to cash for business start ups.
New Loan Opportunities Within Reach of Palestinian Entrepreneurs
Until now, Palestinians who sought loans to launch or expand businesses have faced the prohibitive requirement to offer as much as 200 percent in collateral. With many living below the poverty line, few Palestinians could qualify for loans, and prospects for new jobs have remained elusive.
This situation could change as soon as September, thanks to the Middle East Investment Initiative (MEII), a new public-private partnership between the Palestinian Investment Fund (PIC), the U.S. government's Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and the nonprofit Aspen Institute.
The $228 million loan program, which will not require collateral from borrowers, marks the first time Aspen, known for its nearly 60 years of promoting leadership development and open dialogue through seminars and other academic fora, has gone "operational."
MEII's chairman, Berl Bernhard, a trustee and former Aspen chairman, says the organization believes the initiative will help address "a dire need." In an interview with USINFO, he said the current "onerous nature" of borrowing money has retarded the growth of the Palestinian economy and its potential to create new jobs.
http://www.mediaforfreedom.com/...
Now we're talkin' here. Practical policy being enacted to improve conditions on the ground for peace. Give the average Palestinian a stake in their own future, a business to nurture and protect, one that has a chance for economic success, and a climate of peace can be fostered.
This program opens up opportunities for the middle and lower classes to start businesses instead of just the top few elites - those well connected cronies. Great. Time to break up that pattern, that monopoly on access to cash.
Aspen is not encouraging the development of any particular type of business , but rather leaving the development opportunities open to any potential applicants, people at the local level, and the local banks in the West Bank. They're maintaining a "ground floor up" approach. That's good, cause the people living there know what's needed, and can sense opportunities. Nice.
This loan program has support from surrounding Arab countries, huge support from Norway and anticipates strong suport from other foreign governments.
Who could possibly oppose such an initiative as this?
moon