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Truck carrying goods entering Gaza through Sufa crossing.
 David Boimowitz / JINI
Last update - 11:54 07/05/2009
Kibbutzniks block Gaza crossing to prevent transfer of cash
By Jack Khoury and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: benjamin netanyahu, gaza 

Kibbutz Movement activists on Thursday blocked the entrance to the Erez border crossing to prevent the transfer of cash to the Gaza Strip.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday instructed defense officials to transfer NIS 50 million to banks in the Hamas-ruled territory to help pay Palestinian Authority salaries.

Yoel Marshak, of the Kibbutz Movement's operations department, said Thursday that the activists would block the entry paths with bulldozers and prevent the transfer.
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"We demand equal conditions for the abducted soldier Gilad Shalit," he said, referring to the Israeli soldier who was kidnapped by Gaza militants in a 2006 cross-border raid.

Negotiations to secure his release broke down during the last days of former prime minister Ehud Olmert's tenure.

Netanyahu approved the transfer after meeting on Wednesday with Quartet envoy Tony Blair, despite having waged criticism against Olmert for similar actions.

Blair relayed to Netanyahu the frustration expressed by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who complained that Israel is preventing funds from being transferred to the Strip.

Defense officials told Netanyahu that NIS 50 million would cover PA salaries and would be enough to save the Gaza banking system from collapse. The sum is less than what was originally requested by the Palestinian Authority.

Netanyahu aides said the funds to be transferred are not Israeli funds, but rather the Palestinian Authority's money that will go toward paying the salaries of its employees. "We are talking about a minimal amount that is intended to maintain Gaza's economy," said one source.

Some right-wing groups in Israel have opposed similar cash transfers, asserting that Gaza's Hamas Islamist rulers could benefit.

Palestinian officials in the West Bank have said that assertion is unfounded, citing the use of safeguards such as direct deposit to prevent the money from going into unauthorized accounts.


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      1.   Netanyahu is turning into Olmert 03:09  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 07/05/09
      2.   And Israel Claims No Control 04:37  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/05/09
      3.   50 Million 05:50  |  Angela 07/05/09
      4.   Feel it slipping away Israel - your strangle hold ... 06:39  |  Maureen Ann 07/05/09
      5.   Fubu 09:37  |  Todd Goldberg 07/05/09
      6.   More money for terrorist 10:23  |  Baruch Gold 07/05/09
      7.   Vitriolic Baruch everywhere? Hebron in Palestine! 11:35  |  Jean-f. 07/05/09
      8.   baruch gold 12:07  |  A.M. 07/05/09
      9.   So what are the IDF doing to prevent the Kibbutzniks actions? 12:17  |  Rod 07/05/09
      10.   One expect the `gesture` politics will end with Olmert ! 12:39  |  Akram Zekaria 07/05/09
      11.   These kibbutzniks voted for Shalit`s kidnapping 12:42  |  Dani 07/05/09
      12.   I suggest Gaza should start using Gineih the egyptian currency ! 12:51  |  Akram Zekaria 07/05/09
      13.   Kibbutzniks coming to their senses at last? 13:01  |  Mark Alterman 07/05/09
      14.   Kibbutzniks 13:23  |  Joe Kelsall 07/05/09
      15.   Thieves 13:31  |  Goldberg 07/05/09
      16.   Goldberg-Thieves 15:14  |  Daniel 07/05/09
      17.   To Joe at no.5 15:41  |  Yosef Cohen 07/05/09
      18.   If Arab Israelis tried this. 15:59  |  AT 07/05/09
      19.   Free Shalit first, then help the Gaza banking system 16:04  |  Realist 07/05/09
      20.   Gaza 20:48  |  Joe Kelsall 07/05/09
      21.   #4 What on earth does an Ozzie like you 03:27  |  josh 08/05/09
      22.   #21 - Stop spouting ancient history 13:08  |  Adam 09/05/09
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