Money to Hamas
Money to Hamas

Defense Minister Ehud Barak has approved, as a "humanitarian" gesture, the annual transfer of 25 million shekels to Gaza. Despite the state of war that essentially exists between the Hamas regime in Gaza and Israel, The money will go to Gazans who are eligible for Israeli pension or National Insurance payments.

Israel has declared the Hamas regime as a “hostile” and “terrorist” entity. However, the government has sought ways to transfer the money to those who are technically deserving of it, and has now apparently found it. The transfer of the funds to PA banks in Ramallah, which will send it on to Gaza banks in the names of the beneficiaries, has been approved by the Finance, Justice and Defense Ministries, as well as other Israeli bodies. Hamas has not yet given its assent to the new arrangement, however.

All banks in Israel, except for the governmental Bank of Israel, have cut off their contacts with Gaza. Israel has also long demanded that the international community not transfer money to the Hamas terrorist regime there.

It was learned last week that Israel had paid the United Nations $10.5 million “as a goodwill gesture” for damages caused to UN buildings and property in Gaza during Israel’s anti-terrorism Operation Cast Lead last year.