Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is hoping to convince his top government ministers to agree to another transfer of tax monies to the Palestinian Authority - despite objections by Israeli defense and security elements. The latter say that it is still Yasser Arafat who oversees the PA coffers, and that money given to the PA will be used to finance terror activities.
Yesterday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the supervisory mechanism used to oversee international donations to the PA is insufficient. All the monies received by the PA eventually wind up in the same account, Ya'alon said.
The Prime Minister is meeting this morning on the topic with Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, Finance Minister Silvan Shalom, and their ministries' respective Directors-General. Sharon is explaining that the Bush Administration is applying heavy pressure upon him to transfer the money. Israeli officials plan to present the Americans with evidence that the money is being used, directly or indirectly, to murder Israelis.
Yesterday, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Yaalon told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the supervisory mechanism used to oversee international donations to the PA is insufficient. All the monies received by the PA eventually wind up in the same account, Ya'alon said.
The Prime Minister is meeting this morning on the topic with Foreign Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Sha'ul Mofaz, Finance Minister Silvan Shalom, and their ministries' respective Directors-General. Sharon is explaining that the Bush Administration is applying heavy pressure upon him to transfer the money. Israeli officials plan to present the Americans with evidence that the money is being used, directly or indirectly, to murder Israelis.