Sunday May 28, 2006

I've Been Thinking:

Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Mahmoud al Zahar is on a trip.
He is in the Far East to visit several "essential" countries, countries that that are pledging support to the PA.

After a very successful meeting with the foreign minister of Indonesia, al Zahar was handed a briefcase.
According to one report it contained US $90,000 according to another report it was filled with US $251,000. Cash.
Whatever the amount, it is a joke.

Indonesia is the most populated Muslim country in the world.
Such a paltry gift would be an insult and a surprise - except that the money did not come from the government of Indonesia. The money was raised during street rallies. Now that makes a bit more sense.

To put things into perspective, even the Muslims are barely giving money to the Palestinians.
And when they do give, the sums are mostly small and insignificant.

All that glitters is not gold in the Palestinian Authority.