October 15, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Morton A. Klein
Phone: 212-481-1500
http://www.zoa.org/sitedocuments/pressrelease_view.asp?pressreleaseID=1948

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has opposed the Obama
Administration for funding Palestinian construction projects in Judea and
Samaria while at the same time demanding and publicly pressuring Israel to
stop all Jewish construction in the same areas. This is despite the fact
that Israel is only building within the boundaries of existing Jewish
communities, which comprise only 4%-5% of the disputed areas of Judea and
Samaria.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been financing
Palestinian infrastructure projects in these disputed territories, including
projects that involve the construction of PA municipal buildings, as well as
roads and other infrastructure. A World Net Daily report indicates that "by
aiding Palestinian construction of infrastructure in the West Bank and
eastern Jerusalem, the U.S. has effectively been helping the PA create facts
on the ground that could push disputed neighborhoods toward becoming part of
a Palestinian state, including areas where the land in question is wholly
owned by Jews."

Last month the State Department inaugurated a USAID-funded Palestinian
school in Beit Ijza, a neighborhood about five miles northwest of Jerusalem.
Development with U.S. aid has also been extended to northern Jerusalem
neighborhoods of Kfar Akeb, Qalandiya and Samir Amis, which are close to the
Jewish neighborhoods of Neve Yaacov and Pisgat Zeev in Israel's capital.
(Kfar Akeb, Qalandiya and Samir Amis are located entirely within the
Jerusalem municipality and were populated by Jews until the 1948 war). This
represents a stepping-up of U.S. assistance to Palestinian construction
projects over and above funding for Palestinian development in eastern
Jerusalem over recent years.

In Kfar Akeb in Jerusalem, an official sign reads in English,
'Ramallah-Jerusalem Road. This project is a gift form (sic) the American
people to the Palestinian people in cooperation with the Palestinian
Authority and PECDAR. 2007.' The sign bears the emblems of the American and
PA governments and of USAID and was not present when last checked in 2006.
In these neighborhoods, official PA logos and placards abound, including one
glaring red street sign at the entrance to the neighborhoods warning
Israelis to keep out (Aaron Klein, 'Double-talking on Israel: U.S. aids
Palestinians? Obama demands Jews stop construction while building PA
foothold in same areas,' World Net Daily, October 10, 2010).

ZOA National President Morton A. Klein said, "It is disturbing that the
Obama Administration is adopting Palestinian positions, effectively acting
as the lawyer/negotiator for the Palestinian Authority, demanding that
Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria be stopped in order to one day
create a Jew-free Palestinian state and aiding the PA in building up its
presence even in eastern Jerusalem.

"The Obama Administration itself states that Jerusalem is a final status
issue to be negotiated directly between the two parties. If that is the
case, then the Obama Administration should be doing nothing to bolster the
Palestinian position in Jerusalem, which creates facts on the ground and
therefore prejudices the outcome of those negotiations, should they ever
occur.

"We note that part of the explicit rationale of the Obama Administration
opposing Jewish construction is that it creates facts on the ground. Why
then are they not opposing the creation of facts on the ground by
Palestinians? Worse, why are they funding these efforts with U.S. taxpayer
money? Consistency requires that it start opposing Palestinian efforts to
change the facts on the ground and cease funding these efforts.

"The ZOA calls upon the Obama Administration to cease funding PA
construction projects. We further call upon the U.S. Congress to investigate
whether funding PA infrastructure developments in disputed territories is
even a permissible use of U.S. funds, especially in light of continuing PA
sponsorship of incitement to hatred and violence against Israel."