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Last update - 10:44 21/08/2007
Former Israeli official proposes PA thwart Hamas by giving welfare
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent

The Palestinian Authority must establish a strong welfare system in the West Bank to win elections and gain more support than Hamas, according to a plan formulated by a former senior Israeli official.

The proposal predicts a Hamas takeover in the West Bank within two years if the Fatah-dominated PA does not provide sufficient welfare to the population there.

The plan, which was recently handed to senior Palestinian officials during a closed conference at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, was compiled by Rani Loewenstein, who is considered one of the closest Israeli officials to Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad and served as Israel's main liaison with the Palestinians on economic and financial affairs over the last five years.

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Senior American, Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian officials attended the conference, which was headed by Dennis Ross and David Makovsky. Other participants included the European Union's envoy to the Middle East, Mark Otte; former Israeli defense officials, including former chief of staff Moshe Ya'alon; MK Ephraim Sneh and former Foreign Ministry director general Avi Gil.

Loewenstein's plan consists of recommendations for bolstering the PA's control in the West Bank after the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip. The main recommendation is to set up a welfare system similar to the charity organizations operated by Hamas, as a tool to muster public support which will translate into an electoral victory.

Loewenstein suggests several steps the Palestinians can take regardless of Israel's goodwill gestures or alleviations in the West Bank. He said that the resumption of the transfer of tax funds from Israel to the PA in the West Bank should ease the Authority's cash problems. His data indicated that the Hamas welfare budget was far smaller than the PA's monthly wage bill, which gives Fayad's government an advantage.

Consequently, the PA has considerable sums with which to set up such these services, in addition to the $80 million it pays in monthly salaries and a similar sum for current expenses, he said.

Loewenstein said the PA must plan its economic activity according to a 90-120 day range, rather than deal with long-term projects, because it must focus on influencing public opinion and swiftly improving the Palestinians' quality of life. Such steps could turn the West Bank into a successful economic model compared to the Gaza Strip, paving the way to electoral victory.

The plan also recommends adopting Hamas' economic methods in reducing red tape and distributing assistance directly to the needy.

The proposal suggests that the PA government buy thousands of backpacks for the upcoming school year and distribute them to students free of charge, in a bid to immediately influence public opinion. It also suggests increasing the residents' personal safety and improving public order.

Loewenstein also has recommendations for Israel, the Arab states and the international community. Israel must continue to transfer the taxes collected on behalf of the Palestinian Authority and gradually remove restrictions on movement in the West Bank, in accordance with the security situation.

The Arab states must block fund transfers to Hamas via the tunnels under the Gaza border with Egypt and also stop Gulf states from contributing to Hamas' charity funds. The international community should continue to transfer money to the PA, but in a way that would enable the Palestinians to decide for themselves how to use it.

The bottom line in Loewenstein's presentation was that it is necessary for the Palestinians to take these measures to prevent Hamas from taking over the West Bank in two years.
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  1.   Welfare is a secondary point. 05:31  |  Rebekah S 21/08/07
  2.   Palestinian authority or Israel palestinian authority 05:34  |  Moise 21/08/07
  3.   so.. do what hamas does (financially) or lose WB control to hamas 05:36  |  bashar 21/08/07
  4.   So Israel is still thinking two years ahead? 06:01  |  Johnboy 21/08/07
  5.   Abbas speeches are written by Israels leadership 06:03  |  Natallie Durson 21/08/07
  6.   #3 Bashar 06:19  |  Ramzi, a Palestinian 21/08/07
  7.   I agree! 06:31  |  Lisen 21/08/07
  8.   Natalilie Durson,, Hmmm Thanks For the Insight 07:08  |  Brad 21/08/07
  9.   Good Government Might Lead To A Stable Society 07:15  |  K.Ilroy 21/08/07
  10.   KEEP SAYING THAT ISRAELIS 07:16  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  11.   KEEP SAYING THAT ISRAELIS 07:16  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  12.   Fatah must emulate the success of Hamas 07:45  |  B 21/08/07
  13.   The suggestion to the PA is in essence: Begin to learn how to 07:53  |  Rut Bat-Horin 21/08/07
  14.   Jobs Are the Best Welfare Program 08:00  |  Mark of Lewiston 21/08/07
  15.   The choice 08:03  |  Jasmine Murphy 21/08/07
  16.   The question is whether Palestine is viable at all. 08:19  |  Leon Freeman 21/08/07
  17.   Translation of this Headline: Pal public must be Bribed... 08:20  |  Hani 21/08/07
  18.   Just Remembered 08:27  |  Brad 21/08/07
  19.   Palestinians will reelect Hamas no matter how large 08:58  |  Former Fatah member 21/08/07
  20.   On that does Israel`s government base itself? 08:58  |  S 21/08/07
  21.   IT WILL NEVER WORK, NO SIR 09:22  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  22.   Mr 25 Watts 10:02  |  Walid 21/08/07
  23.   Discovering populism 10:16  |  victor 21/08/07
  24.   Deposed & Imposed 10:19  |  Observer 21/08/07
  25.   A logical extention of your post, Rut Bat-Horin, is 10:21  |  Raaya 21/08/07
  26.   Ex Fatah 10:25  |  Ex Hamas 21/08/07
  27.   19... former fatha member... 11:04  |  ravi 21/08/07
  28.   Maybe a good idea 11:07  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  29.   # 19 + # 26 Ex`s = 00 11:33  |  Steve the Pals. 21/08/07
  30.   Zionism revealed, yet again 11:38  |  Hannah 21/08/07
  31.   Indrajaya - the Boy from Jakarta 11:53  |  ILI 21/08/07
  32.   # 31, ILI 12:03  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  33.   to # 31ILI 12:10  |  indrajaya 21/08/07
  34.   Terrorism revealed, once again. 12:24  |  Hannah 21/08/07
  35.   The Payoff 12:29  |  Rachel 21/08/07
  36.   The Palestinian Authority. 12:57  |  sandra chitayat 21/08/07
  37.   Israeli idiot 13:20  |  Clickfool 21/08/07
  38.   The Palestinians in the West Bank are not going to forget that 13:31  |  lakshmi 21/08/07
  39.   #37 hullo clikko your anti israel software is working overtime 13:58  |  victor hardman 21/08/07
  40.   #37 clickfoolish idiot (redundant words but applicable) 15:06  |  CK Tan 21/08/07
  41.   Hamas is the Real Corruption 15:30  |  Truth Magnified 21/08/07
  42.   #12 I agree with you but am more simple minded. 15:40  |  John Allen 21/08/07
  43.   CHARITBLE PA? OXYMORON. 15:45  |  Raj 21/08/07
  44.   40CK Tan,long time no see,your inanities have been missed!Still 15:51  |  lakshmi 21/08/07
  45.   Laksmi 44 studies show violence on TV does NOT 16:18  |  The Equalizer 21/08/07
  46.   RAMZI Re Palestinian Identity. Article 1 Palestinian Covenant - 16:41  |  PETER SM 21/08/07
  47.   The advice you get from an interested party 16:44  |  Tosefta 21/08/07
  48.   PETER SM 16:57  |  Omar 21/08/07
  49.   Wrong, Hani, #17 16:59  |  Polybios 21/08/07
  50.   Boosting the future 17:06  |  Paolo 21/08/07
  51.   EUROPEAN pattsies foot the bill,brother Arabs know better 17:10  |  PETER SM 21/08/07
  52.   Herein lies the problem with the Israeli mentality 17:26  |  Ibrahim 21/08/07
  53.   OMAR.Which parts of the Palestinian covenant have been rescinded? 17:27  |  PETER SM 21/08/07
  54.   Rut Bat-Horin (and Raaya) my oh my 17:27  |  Omar 21/08/07
  55.   PETER SM again 17:47  |  Omar 21/08/07
  56.   Ibrahim about Israeli mentality 18:23  |  Avihu 21/08/07
  57.   Note the twisted motivation here 18:37  |  Pssd Off American 21/08/07
  58.   Avihu and his Israeli history books. 18:43  |  Ibrahim 21/08/07
  59.   Omar 18:47  |  Rut Bat-Horin 21/08/07
  60.   Ibrahim vs. Avihu 18:53  |  Rami Khouri 21/08/07
  61.   And your leaders are paragons of virtue! The American army & the 19:17  |  lakshmi 21/08/07
  62.   To Peter SM& other zionists on this post,you continue to put the 19:29  |  lakshmi 21/08/07
  63.   Rami "Khouri" 19:30  |  Ibrahim 21/08/07
  64.   Rut Bat-Horin... 19:31  |  Omar 21/08/07
  65.   #44 lakshmi reinvents herself as an EXPERT on Amercian TV culture 19:37  |  CK Tan 21/08/07
  66.   #33 indrajaya terminally stricken by lakshmi`s lie-bug (repost) 19:39  |  CK Tan 21/08/07
  67.   Ibrahim ya ahi 19:50  |  Rami Khouri 21/08/07
  68.   Omar 20:01  |  Rut Bat-Horin 21/08/07
  69.   Ibrahim 20:22  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 21/08/07
  70.   Unbelieveble Israeli strategy 20:25  |  Petteri 21/08/07
  71.   Rut Bat-Horin... 20:28  |  Omar 21/08/07
  72.   Rami on self criticism 20:32  |  Ibrahim 21/08/07
  73.   to #62, Lakshmi 20:35  |  Paolo 21/08/07
  74.   Omar 20:55  |  Rut Bat-Horin 21/08/07
  75.   Ibrahim 21:03  |  Rami Khouri 21/08/07
  76.   #62 lakshmi CANNOT differentiate which is CART and which is HORSE 21:13  |  CK Tan 21/08/07
  77.   Ahh Rut Bat-Horin 21:29  |  Omar 21/08/07
  78.   Ibrahim 21:32  |  Danite 21/08/07
  79.   FAKE HANNAH (aka Ms Kohn) ALERT! #34 21:41  |  Hannah 21/08/07
  80.   Rami Khouri!! 22:06  |  Danite