[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/03/02/mideast.clinton/art.h.clinton.afp.gi.jpg caption="U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends Gaza donors conference in Egypt on Monday."]
(CNN) - The United States has offered more than $900 million to help the Palestinian people, particularly those in Gaza, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced Monday.
"Only by acting now can we turn this crisis into an opportunity that moves us closer to our shared goals," Clinton said at a Gaza donors conference hosted by Egypt in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
"By providing humanitarian assistance to Gaza, we also aim to foster conditions in which a Palestinian state can be fully realized."
She said the U.S. aid package - which must be approved by Congress - has been "designed in coordination with the Palestinian Authority" to make sure the money "does not end up in the wrong hands."
Clinton was referring to the Hamas leadership of Gaza, which the United States has designated a terrorist organization. The Palestinian Authority, based in the West Bank, is led by President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Fatah party is a bitter rival of Hamas.
President Obama has not ruled out talks with Hamas but said the group must first renounce violence, recognize Israel, and abide by previous agreements that successive Palestinian governments have reached with the Israelis.
Spend, spend, spend!!! The progressive way of doin biness...
How many Iranian made rockets do you suppose the Palestinians will be able to purchase with the $900 million?
Obama promised that he was a strong supporter of Israel. But his administration accuses Israel of dragging its feat in supporting Gaza.
Why shouldn't Israel by cautious in allowing money to go to a government, Hamas, that wants to destroy Israel?
Watch your back Israel, Obama is NO FRIEND.
NO – do NOT take care of all these warring countries at our expense any longer. TOO MUCH already. If they want to fight and destroy, let them pay to rebuild. Maybe they will stop.
NO MORE
When will we ever learn.... these people do not appreciate our help, and these funds will only serve to perpetuate the terrorism. More of our money thrown away by the Obama administration.
I certainly have no solutions
I have bias both directions if that is possible as I have friends from Israel and Palestine (Lebanon)
I think someone smarter than me needs to take this bull by the horns
I have tremendous confidence in Hillary
we need to stop giving handouts to other countries and start taking care of our own!
In the United States' best interests in this time of economic crisis, it should foot 10% of the aid. The rest of the world should foot the balance.
we get 13.00 a week tax break and gaza gets 900 million...what is wrong with this picture ms. clinton? we americans need the cash flow in our own hands then we ourselves will jump-start the economy. we can't do much with our little 13.00 a week and that is if we even have a job.
Rush Limbaugh is a stupid loud mouth drug addict. If he didn't spew hate and ignorance he wouldn't have a pay check. I wish he would just OD and be gone.
Let's take the $900 million, spend it on transportation and ship all the Palestinians to Nancy Pelosi's district. That's a much better alternative than resupplying Hamas rocket inventory – which is where this money will end up.
You must be expecting people to complain about the 900 million dollars going to the Palestinians and no doubt you will get those comments. Anyone thinking thats too much should consider the following:
1) This represents 75 hours of Iraq war funding.
2) The opposite of the Marshall Plan is martial law.
"Closer to our shared goals"? I hope that it isn't the destruction of Israel, as $900 million will dig a lot of tunnels for rockets and guns and ammunition and other stuff that Gaza does not need.
Remember that Hamas may be a bitter enemy, but the Fatah party was previously lead by a radical and if Hamas ever disappears, then Fatah will be back wearing a different mask to the Ball. Smoke and mirrors.
Why are we giving money to these terrorists? Remember the jumping for joy in the Gaza streets on 9/11?
$900 Million in aid to a lost cause? I find it remarkable that this administration thinks nothing of giving away $900M the week after discussing fiscal responsibility. Does the left hand know what the other left hand is doing?
We need to close our checkbooks to these countries. We also need to get out of the U. N. and N.A.T.O.. I don't know about the rest of you but my A#$ hurts.
Why are we giving money we do't have to Palestine?
Give that money to the people of our country who needs it.
Take care of your own first, then you can help others.
WHY are we giving 900 million to the Palestinians (Gaza)? Wasn't this Israel's war? Or was it Bush's/Israel's war and we just haven't heard that part????
Considering the sad shape of our own economy, and the fact that people, such as myself (cancer patient) are still without healthcare coverage – where are our priorities????
We spend $1 trillion each year in 130 bases overseas for our military, and this doesn't include wars.
Just think what we could do if we brought everyone home and stopped being the bully on the playground?
We could spend about $750 billion less per year on our military alone if we brought everyone home.
Another Obama Bailout.
Can I get stock in the fedreserve?They stand to make a fortune from a complete collapse.
we sell Israel weapons to kill,
we send money to rebuild what our weapons destroy,
When will we follow our constitution?
All I want is a job. I even applied for government jobs @ usajobs.gov but that seems to be too much to ask for in today’s economy, but the government has millions and billions to give away to those who live in another country.
We need to keep our money!! Let them deal with it! Gaza doesnt need rebuilt while Hamas has control of it and still firing missles to Israel! And Iran wanting to try Israel for war crimes against Gaza. This is a Circus!! We are needing that money here!!!
Of course Obama wants to send as much money as he can to his muslim friends over in Palestine. That's all he cares about, muslims and islam. I hope all you so called enlightened liberal people who voted for this jerk are happy, because we all have to live with it. THIS IS THE CHANGE OBAMA WAS TALKING ABOUT, NOTHING ELSE! Supporting muslims, opening our borders for their kind, weakening America. I can't wait until 2012!