Haniyeh. Bank account filled thanks to Israel
Photo: AP
Israel pays Haniyeh's salary
Funds transferred by Jewish state to Palestinian Authority used by Prime Minister Fayyad to pay wages of government workers, including dismissed Hamas ministers
When Israel
decided to unfreeze $600 million it owed the Palestinian Authority, it did not intend for the money to be used to fill the bank account of former Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
After receiving the funds from Israel and additional aid from the United States and European countries, the Palestinian Finance Ministry decided to pay the monthly salaries of government members, including dismissed Hamas ministers and the group's representatives in the Legislative Council.
Each of these officials received on Monday NIS 12,000 (about $2,836) from Palestinian Prime Minister and Finance Minister Salam Fayyad's treasury. One of the people to receive this sum was former Palestinian Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar, one of Hamas' most radical members.
Young Fatah members slammed the move, saying that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was "using double standards against Hamas – he declared war on them, but pays their wages and helps them stabilize their government in Gaza."
Meanwhile, former US President Jimmy Carter has offered to serve a mediator between Hamas and Fatah. The proposal was conveyed the Haniyeh through Carter's envoy. Haniyeh welcomed the offer.
