----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 6:10 PM
Subject: [NAAA-ADC Updates] No New U.S. Taxpayer Money for Israel
>ACTION ALERT
>
>No New U.S. Taxpayer Money for Israel
>Write President Bush to Express Your Serious Concern
>
>ISSUE:
>
>Once again, a high-ranking Israeli delegation headed by Sharon's
>bureau chief Dov Weisglass arrived in Washington on January 6, 2003,
>for talks with Bush Administration officials regarding Israel's
>request for substantial additional U.S. military assistance and loan
>guarantees. The Sharon Government is reportedly seeking an additional
>$12 billion from Washington, including $4 billion in direct military
>assistance to cover military expenses related to responding to the
>conflict with the Palestinians and the anticipated war with Iraq and
>$8 billion in U.S.-backed loan guarantees over a five-year period to
>help Israel recover from its current economic crisis.
>
>Sharon government officials previously visited Washington on November
>25, 2002, to make a similar request for a substantial increase in U.S.
>spending for Israel. At the time, some Israeli sources claimed that
>the Administration promised Prime Minister Sharon to quickly approve
>his request "with minor changes." However, U.S. approval of this
>massive funding request is not automatic. The Bush Administration and
>the U.S. Congress will have to decide whether or not to approve this
>staggering request for billions more in U.S. tax dollars for Israel.
>
>RESPONSE:
>
>The U.S. already provides a total of $2.848 billion (2001 estimate
>according to the Congressional Research Service) in military and
>economic assistance to Israel each year. In addition, Israel is
>slated to receive an additional $200 million in fiscal year 2003 to
>help that country "combat terrorism." In effect, Israel is already
>receiving over $3 billion in U.S. tax dollars every year. Saddling
>the American taxpayer with a spending increase of $12 billion more to
>pay for additional military assistance and U.S. loan guarantees for
>Israel at this time makes bad economic sense for all Americans. On the
>foreign policy level, the requested new funding fails to account for
>the long-term political and strategic implications for U.S. national
>interests if the U.S. appears to be supporting hard-line Israeli
>policies in the Arab world.
>
>TAKE ACTION:
>
>NAAA-ADC continues to weigh in against spending an additional $12
>billion in U.S. tax-payers' money for Israel at this time. Please,
>join your voice with those that have already sent a clear message to
>President Bush that America's priorities at this time should be
>helping Americans and putting the American economy back on track.
>
>Go to http://capwiz.com/adc/home/ or www.naaa-adc.org to take action
>and make your voice heard now.
>
>Together, we will make a difference.
>
>--------------------------------------
>NAAA-ADC, the government affairs affiliate of the American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
>4201 Connecticut Ave., N.W.,
>Suite 300
>Washington, D.C. 20008
>Tel: (202) 244-2990
>Fax: (202) 244-3196
>WWW.NAAA-ADC.org
