Israel to Halt Payments to Palestinians
As Palestinians swore in their Hamas-dominated parliament, Israel froze contact with the "terrorist" group, and stopped a planned transfer of funds Hamas dismissed the effect of the sanctions, and former President Jimmy Carter warns in an Op-Ed that America risks severe consequences if it conspires with Israel to disrupt the transfer of power to Hamas.The Guardian
:
Israel halts funds to Palestinian Authority
Israel froze contacts with what it called the “terrorist” Palestinian Authority yesterday, and put a block on the transfer of funds, the day after the swearing in of a Hamas-dominated parliament.
“Israel views the rise of Hamas as a dangerous milestone that turns the Palestinian Authority into a terrorist authority,” said the acting prime minister, Ehud Olmert. “Israel will not hold contacts with the administration in which Hamas plays any part – small, large or permanent.”
BBC:
Hamas dismisses Israeli sanctions
Newly named Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has dismissed the effect of Israeli financial restrictions on the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Mr Haniya also played down the impact of a drop in Western aid, saying Arab and Islamic states would step in.
Washington Post:
As the results of the recent Palestinian elections are implemented, it’s important to understand how the transition process works and also how important to it are actions by Israel and the United States.
Although Hamas won 74 of the 132 parliamentary seats, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas retains the right to propose and veto legislation, with 88 votes required to override his veto. With nine of its elected members remaining in prison, Hamas has only 65 votes, plus whatever third-party support it can attract. Abbas also has the power to select and remove the prime minister, to issue decrees with the force of law when parliament is not in session, and to declare a state of emergency. As commander in chief, he also retains ultimate influence over the National Security Force and Palestinian intelligence.
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.
At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.
Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.
Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.
Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.
Donate now.
The result appears to dash the long-serving leader's hopes for a decisive victory as his trial on corruption charges nears.
For more than a century Zionists and, later, Israelis have pursued a project to seize and ethnically cleanse Palestinian land.
The prime minister is slated to appear in a Jerusalem court as a defendant just two weeks after the March 2 vote.
As the U.S. hurdles toward war with Iran, the Truthdig columnist reminds viewers why it's so important to recognize our shared humanity.
His two terms were marked by partisan rancor, scandal and, for many Americans, betrayal by the president.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.