Olmert will convene a ministerial consultation on the matter this Sunday, but the ministers are generally in favor of giving the funds. The feeling is that because Hamas is not yet in power, there is no reason to withhold the money.
Strengthening this position are remarks made yesterday by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). Abbas said that though Hamas is now the PA's largest party, he will not assign the formation of the next government to Hamas until that organization recognizes Israel and agrees to abide by all previous PA obligations.
Hamas has murdered hundreds of Israelis in the past several years, and its charter is predicated upon the concept that Israel must be destroyed.
Even if the European Union and United States refrain from sending money to the PA, it is felt that Israel is in a different situation. This is because the EU and US send donations, while the Israeli funds are actually tax monies that Israel collects for the PA.
MK Gideon Saar of the Likud is not satisfied with these explanations. "Olmert, who allowed Hamas to rise to power, now gives it international legitimacy," Saar said. Hamas itself has credited the Sharon-Olmert government's Disengagement Plan for its rise to power. In addition, Olmert has been widely criticized for cooperating with the PA in allowing Hamas to run in the recent election.
"Once again," Saar said, "we see Olmert's weakness. He is systematically establishing a Hamas state, a front-line chapter of Iran, that will endanger Israeli citizens. We now see why the [extreme left-wing] Meretz Party wants to be a coalition partner of Olmert after the elections."
A senior PA official said yesterday that salaries for the 137,000 PA workers would have to be delayed by at least two weeks, for lack of funds. The total sum needed for the monthly salaries is $116 million.
Armed Al-Aqsa Brigades terrorists took over the PA Television building in Ramallah Thursday afternoon. The incident is reported to be connected with the decision to freeze salaries of those who receive salaries from other media.