Posted on 02/19/2006 1:31:24 PM PST by Hannah Senesh
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday that Palestinians were in a financial crisis because Israel halted tax revenue payments and the United States demanded to return its aid after a Hamas-led parliament was sworn in.
"Unfortunately, the pressures have begun and the support and the aid started to decrease ... therefore we are currently in a financial crisis," he told reporters in Gaza, ahead of a planned meeting this week with Hamas leaders.
Earlier Sunday, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, nominated as the new Palestinian prime minister, said Israel's decision to halt the transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority "does not scare the Palestinian people."
Haniyeh said Israel's new sanctions in the wake of Hamas' election victory "were meant to force the Palestinians down to their knees ... we've handled challenges in the past and we will be able to stand up to future challenges as well," he said.
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday that Israel was to halt the transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority effective immediately.
The Acting Prime Minister said that "as the (Palestinian) interim government ends its term, Israel halts immediately the transfer of funds to the PA."
Abdel Aziz Duaik, a Hamas legislator and the new parliament speaker, called on Israel to reconsider its decision, saying it was motivated by electioneering ahead of Israel's March 28 national election.
"This is a faulty decision, and the Israelis must reconsider their decision ... It will only increase hatred," he said.
Speaking at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting Olmert said "it is clear that in face of Hamas' majority in Palestinian parliament ... the PA is turning de facto into a terrorist Authority."
Commenting on Israel's future ties with the PA, Olmert said it "will not hold contacts with a regime in which Hamas takes part, be it marginal, significant or all-encompassing."
"The State of Israel would not agree to this (state of affairs)... Israel will not compromise in its struggle against terror and will continue to use its might in this struggle," Olmert said.
At the meeting, the cabinet decided that Israel would demand of the international community to halt at once all aid to the PA. In addition it was decided that the security forces would continue their counter-terrorism activities and that checks at crossings between Israel and the Palestinian territories would be intensified.
Aware of the severe implications these moves hold for the general Palestinian population, Olmert said Israel has "no intention to impinge on the humanitarian needs of the Palestinian population."
Commenting on the possibility of the international community joining Israel's financial sanctions Haniyeh said "the Arab countries and Muslim nations as well as several members of the international community have said they want hold ties with the next (Hamas-led) Palestinian government."
Abbas' office said Israel's decisions were "harmful." Abbas' spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina called on the United States "not to allow Israel to act on its stated sanctions," adding the chairman was "confident the new government would align itself with Abbas' political stance."
May I suggest that the next aid packages include only condums?
"Isrealis... must reconsider... it will only increase hatred"
To what ? From ultra hyper mega hatred to super ultra hyper mega hatred ? Perhaps if they started hating more they might burst a vessel in their brains. There we go! That's the ticket.
Gosh, the first place I'd look for some money would be to contact Arafat's widow. I'm sure a few young zealots could convince her to hand over what's left of the $Billion$ that the old guy kept for himself instead of using for the PA.
You mean nobody is going pay us killin and blowing people up????
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Stupid is as stupid does.
Dear Abbas - you sound like a horse's ass (and you look like one too).
Where is all the money that has been sent to you folks all these years? Don't forget to send the merry widow in Paris her shopping money this week -
For some strange reason, people are not all that eager to provide funding for bombs to blow up school buses.
"Gosh, the first place I'd look for some money would be to contact Arafat's widow."
Maybe they could ask their good friend Jimmy Carter for a loan.
good!
if they are in a financial crisis they wont have any money to build bombs or rockets!
They have already vowed to take Israel out, to wipe them from the face of the earth, how much more hatred can you get?
Kinda funny.
You've got to wonder why Israel owes tax money to the palis. Isn't Israel a free and independent nation?
Naw, you done cut the t_ts off your cash-cow... a-holes!
"You've got to wonder why Israel owes tax money to the palis. Isn't Israel a free and independent nation?"
It's actually tax money that they collect for the Palestinians.
I just went to newspaper site and read some of the comments that have been sent to them, regarding payola cutoff.
It is a complete hoot. There appear to be people who actually think that it is a crime against humanity or something, for the Israelis to stop send money to a group of maniacs to buy more bullets and rockets -
The world needs to wake up and stop funding terrorism. We in the US need to stop sending money to everyone who sticks out his hand, and banish the UN to someplace where they are more welcome.
There are people in the world who think that the PALS are OWED something from the rest of us, with no regard for the mayhem the PALS regularly commit.
Something is very wrong with this picture.
And by the way, GO ISRAEL. Good job on stopping payments to murderous thugs.
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