So far, these companies have not come in large numbers because almost all Arab countries boycott products from Israel. But American officials readily acknowledge that the U.S. will have to be the principal banker, supplying American money and rounding up more from financial partners and world institutions. The case for such help is overwhelming. Yes, the U.S., Europe and Japan have many other commitments and severe economic troubles of their own. But of all areas of the world, the Middle East is the one where aid could make the biggest difference.
Economies are on a similarly modest scale.
Sums that would vanish without effect in Russia could make an enormous difference here. What matters most is not whether foreign economic aid to the Middle East produces the biggest bang for the buck, but whether it brings the most peace for the penny.