The United States will deduct $289.5 million from loan guarantees to Israel over disagreements regarding Israeli activity in Palestinian territories. The Israeli Embassy in Washington announced late on Tuesday that the amount was "suggested" by Israel. "Israel accepts that the United States does not view some of the Israeli activities to date in parts of Judea, Samaria and Gaza as being consistent with US policy," the statement reads.
"Israel understands that the US should not finance directly, or indirectly, activities with which it does not agree." Israel "therefore suggested that the US deduct the agreed sum of $289.5 million from the $3 billion in loan guarantees currently available." An Israeli diplomat told AFP the decision was taken on Tuesday following a meeting in Washington between US national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, and Dov Weisglass, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's chief of staff. Whole text at http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/7DCEBB15-296E-4CFE-8ED3-F67E0ECCACF3. htm Bit of humour: Moses and Job are discussing about the latest news at in the school playground. Says Job: "do you know what the American economy is ?". Says Moses: "I think it's a sort of bank, a financial trust". Says Job: "Then why do they make such a big thing of terrorism ?". Moses thinks, points his finger to his head, and says "I think it's a projection". Says Job: "projection of what ?". Moses shrugs, says, "asking that, is like asking how did we end up here, being born in Eretz Israel ?".
