Shorts: U.S.

DeLay's friend reportedly laundered money to settlers

washington (jta) | A lobbyist close to embattled Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) funneled money intended for an inner-city charity to Israeli settlers in the West Bank, according to Newsweek.

More than $140,000 that Jack Abramoff raised for the Capital Athletic Foundation reportedly went to settlers to defend against Palestinian violence.

Newsweek also reported that some of the foundation's money was used for a now-defunct Jewish school in suburban Maryland attended by two of Abramoff's sons.

The FBI is investigating the charges. DeLay, who is facing questions about the sources of funding of some of his foreign trips, is trying to distance himself from Abramoff.




Senate passes bill for Palestinian aid

washington (jta) | The U.S. Senate passed a spending bill that includes aid for the Palestinian Authority. The bill, which includes spending for military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, includes $200 million for the Palestinian Authority, of which $50 million will be for Israel to create high-tech border crossing points between Israel and the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The legislation, which passed 99-0, now must be reconciled with a U.S. House of Representatives' bill that includes the same amount for the Palestinian Authority, without specifically designating the $50 million for Israel.




Football owner donates money to calm Columbia

new york (jta) | The Jewish owner of the New England Patriots is donating $500,000 to Columbia University to build cross-cultural understanding.

Robert Kraft's donation, announced by the university this week, was matched by a contribution from the university to create the $1 million Kraft Family Fund for Interfaith and Intercultural Awareness. The fund will support student-initiated programming to foster dialogue on issues such as race, religion and culture.

Kraft, a Columbia alumnus and major philanthropist, already donated $11.5 million to establish the university's Robert K. Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life.




Strident anti-Semite dies in Georgia

lafayette, ga. (ap) | J.B. Stoner, an unrepentant white supremacist and anti-Semite convicted in the civil rights era of bombing a black church, has died. He was 81.

A Georgia native, Stoner headed the Stoner Christian Anti-Jewish Party.