Israel Matzav

EU approves and Abbas Abu Mazen pays Hamas members' salaries

'Moderate Palestinian President' Mahmoud Abbas Abu Mazen paid the salaries of some 5000 members of Hamas' 'special operational force,' according to an article in HaAretz this morning. The money came out of funds sent to Abu Mazen by the Arab League to pay the salaries of the 'Palestinian Authority's' 170,000 bureaucrats. According to HaAretz, most members of the "operational force" belong to Hamas' military wing, Iz al-Din al-Qassam, led by Yussef al-Zahar, 'Palestinian foreign minister Mahmoud al-Zahar's brother. In other words, Abu Mazen is paying salaries to terrorists. If there is anyone out there who is surprised by this, I have a bridge to sell you in New York City. The salaries were paid by Abu Mazen to get around the boycott on Hamas that was imposed by the international community.

Here's where it gets dicey: HaAretz reports that according to 'Palestinian' sources, the European Union operates a body which, together with Abu Mazen, supervises the transfer of the payments from the Arab League. On Saturday it approved $89 million for payment of salaries going back to the month of May. However some 20 special advisers to the government were not permitted to receive payments. The operational force was nevertheless allowed to receive money because it joined the Palestinian police force six weeks ago as part of Abu Mazen's agreement with Hamas. Translation: the European Union approved these payments. Second translation: all the terrorists are the same - they just change uniforms once in a while. Since right now you need a 'Palestinian police force' uniform to be paid, all the Hamas members bought themselves 'Palestinian police force' uniforms.

This does not mean that the 'Palestinian Authority' has paid all its employees' salaries. So far, Abu Mazen's office has paid NIS 1,500 to all the officials for the months of March, April and May but many officials earn more than that every month and therefore are still owed money for those months. The salaries for June and July have not been paid at all. And it's almost the end of August.

The 'Palestinian Authority' had also worked out an agreement with the local banks not to deduct debts from the salaries, but the banks did not abide by this, which should surprise no one. When it transpired on Saturday that in the Gaza Strip some officials had had deductions made, amounting to half their salaries, they attacked the branches of the banks. I guess the banks aren't afraid of the 'Arab street.'

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:01 AM