Israel prevents Abbas from bringing cash to Gaza

[DogPoundPup]

JERUSALEM - Israel is preventing the Western-backed Palestinian Authority from transferring cash to the Gaza Strip to pay its workers and others hard-hit by war, Western and Palestinian officials said on Wednesday.

The restrictions threatened to undercut the ability of President Mahmoud Abbas’s West Bank-based government to reassert a presence in the Hamas-ruled territory after Israel’s 22-day offensive, said the officials, who asked not to be identified.

The cash restrictions also underscored the wider hurdles facing reconstruction, estimated to cost more than $2 billion, in the Gaza Strip, where 1.5 million Palestinians live.

Israel has told the United Nations and other aid groups planning for the rebuilding they must apply for project-by-project Israeli approval and provide guarantees none of the work will benefit Hamas.

more... http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/mi...

[bemildred]

1. Boy, you just cannot get any stupider than this.

Talk about cretins.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. They clearly prefer Hamas to be in charge.

Seriously, for them to completely undercut Abbas and not allow him to do anything for the people, Israel is effectively doing nothing more than strengthening Hamas' hold on the people. People go to Hamas because that's the only way they can get services - much, much more so than the armed conflict (not saying all, but most fall under that camp).

[burythehatchet]

3. There are interests who are vested in the the continuation of hostilities

They do not desire a lasting peace. They are the original neo-cons, the most virulent strain of believers. They are able to create the conditions that keep their people believing that this state terror is the only choice available to them. They have been duped.