Should We Stop Dishing Out Internaloinal Aid To Dodgy Countries ?

[Gromit]

// Priti Patel wanted to send aid money to the Israeli army after conducting a string of secret meetings with Israeli figures including Benjamin Netanyahu, Downing Street has confirmed.

The international development secretary asked officials from her department to examine whether public money could support humanitarian operations in occupied parts of the Golan Heights.

The disclosure adds to the pressure upon Patel, who on Monday was forced to apologise for holding 12 undisclosed meetings while on a family holiday in August. She was also rebuked by No 10 after giving the false impression in an interview with the Guardian that Boris Johnson and the UK Foreign Office knew about it in advance.

The UK does not recognise Israel’s permanent presence in the Golan Heights, which was seized from Syria in the 1967 war, and so providing aid to the Israeli army in this or other occupied territories would be likely to contravene UK policy. //

Why the hell are we giving Israel any money, they are hardly a poor country. What with Patel, Johnsonand Davies no wonder we are

[Gromit]

...in such a mess.

[jno]

many people have protested that we shouldn't give money to India, because they've got enough money to have nuclear weapons.

I expect they will say the same about Israel.

[Spicerack]

Borrowing money to give it away. Ridiculous.

[ToraToraTora]

we should stop dishing out aid, full stop!

[anotheoldgit]

Agree, we should not give other countries our money, there is plenty to spend it on here.

[Just-Jude]

Patel goes on holiday for a week and has 12 meetings with Israeli government officials including their PM, something that May knew nothing about. She's either a dedicated MP or corrupt. I know what I think.

[Gromit]

Sorry about *Internaloinal*

JJ - Does seem odd.

[hereIam]

YES, especially while we have homeless kids on the streets, the elderly dying or being neglected for lack of decent care and the NHS in freefall ... But that, to me, is common sense.

[Gromit]

The Spectator enlightens me that this is more Tory infighting:
// If she does survive, Patel can count herself lucky. One thing that is certain is that whether she stays or goes, this row will do little to dampen the rivalry between Patel and Johnson. In September, Boris called for DFID to be axed – remarks which brought a sharp rebuke from Patel. Both are in the running for the top job when Theresa May goes and it’s difficult not to see the early signs of the next Tory leadership contest playing out in this saga. //

[Just-Jude]

Patel should should have been sacked, but will now cling on due to the Tory shambles and May's weakness.

Patel used to work for a PR outfit who had a tobacco company as one of its major clients. Her job was to promote smoking in Africa and Asia, she earned the nickname "Cancer Queen". She'll do anything for money.

[jno]

an interesting place to go for a holiday, but there's not the slightest doubt in my mind that she paid for it all herself.

[Gromit]

// Ms Patel was accompanied by the Tory peer, Lord Polak. He is now honorary president of Conservative Friends of Israel but for more than 25 years, he was the director of the lobby group.
Lord Polak told the BBC that he just happened to be on holiday at the same time as Ms Patel. "We met up for one or two things," he said. "It was the summer holidays. I just joined her for a couple of days, some drinks, some dinner, that kind of thing." //

I hope he didn’t touch her knee.

[Gromit]

Interesting readers comment in the Independent...
// The interesting bit is what has not been reported.
The money given to the IDF was to be forwarded to the Al-Nusra and Isis jihadists who are clustered along the Syrian Golani border. For several years now Israel has been supporting them with money, medical aid and even air strikes against Syrian government forces.
This has all been reported by reputable sources (UN, Haaretz, Reuters, some UK news sources) and is a matter of record.
This is Israel's dirty little secret and it looks like the UK government is entirely complicit.
Making Patel's visit unofficial added deniability to what was almost certainly official UK policy. //

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/priti-patel-israel-holiday-press-release-benjamin-netanyahu-boris-johnson-theresa-may-cabinet-a8042146.html

Has a ring of truth about it.

[marval]

There are enough people here who need help. We should help our own first.

[ludwig]

// Should We Stop Dishing Out Internaloinal Aid To Dodgy Countries ? //

Yes.

[emmie]

we shouldn't be sending any money to most countries, especially those like Pakistan.