Israel will request 2.2 billion dollars from the United States to help finance its planned pullout from the Gaza Strip, Israeli sources said on Monday.

Israel has originally requested 500 million dollars in pullout aid from Washington, but in preliminary discussions, U.S. officials said they were ready to give Israel ??generous aid,? Israel radio said.

"This is our biggest aid request in my memory -- which is hardly surprising given the unprecedented scale of the Disengagement Plan," a top Israeli official said on condition of anonymity.

The money will be spent on the process of relocating army bases to Israel and tightening security on the Egyptian-Israeli border after Israel withdraws from all 21 settlements in Gaza as well as four other enclaves in the northern West Bank.

The rest of the money will be spent on development projects in the Galilee and Negev regions, where many of Gaza settlers are likely to be relocated.
http://www.aljazeera.com/me.asp?service_ID=9198


This is nuts!!! THIS is the reason why the middle eastern countries love us so much! Aid to Israel for a Gaza pullout....WHAT BULLSHIT!!!!!!!!!
Psycho4Bud Reviewed by Psycho4Bud on . Israel wants $2.2b from U.S. for Gaza pullout Israel will request 2.2 billion dollars from the United States to help finance its planned pullout from the Gaza Strip, Israeli sources said on Monday. Israel has originally requested 500 million dollars in pullout aid from Washington, but in preliminary discussions, U.S. officials said they were ready to give Israel ??generous aid,? Israel radio said. "This is our biggest aid request in my memory -- which is hardly surprising given the unprecedented scale of the Disengagement Plan," Rating: 5