Wednesday September 14, 2005

I've Been Thinking:

Issue # 1: The White House promised Israel $2.25 billion for biting the bullet and exiting Gaza.
Issue # 2: The recovery and restoration effort in the wake of Hurricane Katrina has been estimated to be at least $100 billion.

Serious questions are now being asked in Jerusalem and DC.
Should Israel request all the money? Can they, in good conscious, expect it?
If Israel does not receive the promised billions, is that a violation of a US commitment and does that nullify other agreements made under the assumption that compensatory monies would be forthcoming?

Honestly, given the monumental destruction and devastation it would be naive for Israel to assume that the $2.25 billion would just be there to give Israel.
But it would also be naive for the US to assume that Israel got out of Gaza for nothing, without getting anything in return.

My recommendation is a "slow time released solution."
I recommend that over the next 5 years the US monies be allocated to Israel.
Israel gets it reward and the United States can re-proportion budgets to meet these immediate and unforeseen needs.

That's what friends are for.