JCPA , AJCommittee urge P.A. freeze

Two major U.S. Jewish groups urged the
international community to maintain its freeze on aid to the Palestinian
Authority. “The Jewish Council for Public Affairs is deeply troubled by the
platform adopted by the new Palestinian unity government,” said Steve Gutow, the
executive director for the umbrella body for Jewish community relations councils
in a statement issued Tuesday. “Provisions included in the new platform, and
those very purposefully left out, place tall barriers on the path towards
peace.”

The new national unity government unites the Hamas terrorist group and
the more moderate Fatah Party, but fails to remove the obstacles that led
the international community to isolate the Palestinian Authority after Hamas’
election last year. AJCommittee Executive Director David Harris
praised the Quartet — the diplomatic grouping of the United States, the United Nations,
Russia and the European Union that drives the Middle East peace process — for
maintaining its boycott. Harris also expressed disappointment with Norway for
recognizing the government

“Norway undermines the very cause it purports to
serve — the quest for peace — by strengthening the hand of the forces of
extremism at the expense of the pragmatists,” he said.