Daoud Kuttab exec producer of Palestinian version of Sesame Street, photo by Nasser Shiyoukhi, AP
A piece by Daniel Estrin on National Public Radio last night. You rock, NPR!
The U.S. lawmaker who ordered the hold on funding, Ros-Lehtinen, says that the U.S. should not support Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who asked the United Nations to recognize an independent state of Palestine. She said Abbas should be negotiating the matter with Israel instead.
“By providing the Palestinians with $2.5 billion over the last 5 years, the U.S. has only rewarded and reinforced their bad behavior,” she said.
The U.S. did give $200 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority last year; it’s the funding for non-government organizations that’s on hold. Last month, Congress released $40 million of those funds. But with health care, infrastructure and other programs waiting for money, it’s doubtful that the Palestinian Sesame Street will get a piece of the pie.
While Congress has turned off the tap for Palestinian Sesame Street, the U.S. is helping to support a new season of Israeli Sesame Street. The State Department awarded $750,000 to an Israeli nonprofit to team up with the Israeli show and develop classroom activities.
it is truly remarkable how much the Palestinians do accomplish in providing education services despite next to no financial support and the terrible burden of the occupation; check out
http://teach-for-palestine.org/
the miracle workers.
The Israelis have effectively subcontracted out the occupation to the US and EU, costs which according to the rules of International Law belong to them. Now they can tell the Palestinians what they can and cannot do while stealing their property and at the same time, being the stronger party, influence the subcontractors and in the case of US threaten them into doing their bidding. A truly bizarre and corrupt arrangement.
” The State Department awarded $750,000 to an Israeli nonprofit to team up with the Israeli show and develop classroom activities.”
while we close one of our district’s elementary schools due to lack of funds right here in the hudson valley of new york.
Who could justify cutting Sesame Street? If there is any effort that works towards mutual humanization, NOT propagandizing racism, it is Sesame Street.
Israel’s Dracula-like Count can still count on the USA! But not the Palestinian cookie-monster. There are, after all, differences between the blood-thirsty , who should be supported, and the victims, who should be denied their cookies.