Rice Announces Return of Direct Aid to Palestinian Government

From Rice Announces Return of Direct Aid to Palestinian Government:

The U.S. is lifting financial and diplomatic restrictions on the PA and will donate $40 million to UN programs serving the Palestinian territories, Secretary of State Rice said Monday. "We intend to lift our financial restrictions on the Palestinian government, which has accepted previous agreements with Israel and rejects the path of violence," Rice said. The EU also announced that it would resume direct financial aid to the PA. "Hamas has made its choice. It has sought to attempt to extinguish democratic debate with violence and to impose its extremist agenda on the Palestinian people in Gaza," Rice said. "It is the duty of the international community to support those Palestinians who wish to build a better life and a future of peace."