Bush says he won't support PA government made up of Hamas

understood... but realize how you reaffirmed my point... we are to quick to jump at people before understanding...

good to know, i just felt it was a bit insensitive the way you spoke about all the people who had died in terror attacks. There are just so many people writing here who cannot begin to understand what is really going on in this country.

If we look @ the vote for hamas as a protest vote against the corruption of Fatah, lets wait & see who Hamas behaves over the next several months, but do not withhold collected taxes. The US & the EU should not interpret this move as a sign of weakness but as honouring existing agreements.

Oh I forgot to mention that I live in Israel in the summers and well be serving in the IDF this upcoming fall, but you can attack me again if you'd like. This time leave your number so we can meet up for coffee and talk about it in person.

The Jews are not practising terrorism. The "Pals" are committing terror atrocities on the ISRAELIS and the ISRAELIS defend themselves. So it is not Israel, but the Jews. Who called others racists?

They are not trustworthy.

Makes one think. Why? How can the murder of almost a thousand Jews and maiming of others be ignored. I hvae no use for the Europenas....

There is some money. Anyway, there is some sickness in living from external aid. Social workers understand this from minorities and people in social distress, but it applies to palestinians, who never are to blame for anything, who always are the victims and the sufferers, the one to aid. It's an addiction to weakness and external aid.

When a child is coming at you with a bomb you shoot them however old they are i am sorry. If the Pals would stop teaching their children to hate Israelis and jews and telling them if they die while killing us then they go to heaven then maybe our army would not need to shoot armed children. If the women would not use the IDF who do not check women often to smuggle bombs and weapons through checkpoints or blow themselves up then maybe women would not have a problem. Because of the pals i have to show id to go from Pal land to Israeli land, and even to walk into a store. Arabs can walk around freely in Israel but if Jews go into PA controled area chances are they will not come back. Why aren't there checkpoints going into arab areas and only going out? BECAUSE THEY DO NOT NEED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM EVERY JEW WHO MAY APPEAR. The pals attack with intent to kill civilians the IDF attacks to protect its citizens. Israel isnt squeeky clean but compared to the Pals they are.

When a child is coming at you with a bomb you shoot them however old they are i am sorry. If the Pals would stop teaching their children to hate Israelis and jews and telling them if they die while killing us then they go to heaven then maybe our army would not need to shoot armed children. If the women would not use the IDF who do not check women often to smuggle bombs and weapons through checkpoints or blow themselves up then maybe women would not have a problem. Because of the pals i have to show id to go from Pal land to Israeli land, and even to walk into a store. Arabs can walk around freely in Israel but if Jews go into PA controled area chances are they will not come back. Why aren't there checkpoints going into arab areas and only going out? BECAUSE THEY DO NOT NEED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM EVERY JEW WHO MAY APPEAR. The pals attack with intent to kill civilians the IDF attacks to protect its citizens.

America and the EU will be giving the pals money for the next few months. Israel has nukes for decades but has never used them, Iran is trying to get nukes and has threatened to wipe Israel off the map. COME ON YOU CANT COMPARE Maybe Israel should get rid of the nukes so that it has no deterent for every country surrounding the to attack and wipe them out. Great Ideas from the land of the free. Maybe America should give the land back to the Indians, and Mexicans.

We are giving $350 million dollars a year. It must stop!

i get it you are lonely and dont have a life. too bad so sad.

Wow I must be a prophet ? a few days ago I posted a prediction that it will not be long before the European provide funding ? well it did not take long . The European logic is true to form ? We know that Hamas want to destroy Israel, we will pay them now and take a view what they will do in Government. Most people would say ? we withhold payment since we know your intention and will renew when you prove otherwise. But then we have seen the European Union in action before so no surprise. Obviously they will do their 180 degrees turn around when it is effecting them. As usual lots of grand standing ? with totally reversed action.

It looks like I've upset someone. And this bird talks about "childlike attitude". Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Hari Krishna, Hari, Hari Krishna, Hari Hari Bless you my child.

Abbas needs to step down so Hamas can feel the pain of victory. They are already crying for the world not to cut off their funding. A government like beggars crying for food is surely humiliating.....yet they will not renouce violence towards Israel. This culture is so facinating. They will fold in the end.

Marty you should read post #135 in the article netanyahu compares hamas election to rise of hitler

now is that your name do you like it ? genious i have always understood that no one has to like who is elected. But it is the childlike attitude displayed by those who dont like it that bothers me. bush--i wont deal with a hamas govt. rice-world please suspend aid to the palistinians. whoever is in charge in israel-oh hitler is back- we have an army but they cant have one- they are not getting the money we collect for them................GET IT!!! my opinion --you can have your s too Farty..now you can call me krishna, dobbs either one is fine or we can go low.

People piss me off. We are all going to die. We might as well drop the poison in the punch, all throw on our black robes, fill our cups, drink up, and say goodbye to this cruel slowly collapsing world that we call home, and some of us, for a much shorter time than others. Those that are blown up in cafe's. Those that are victims of rocket attacks. OH and those that are victims of domestic violence, gang fights, car accidents, illness, and a bunch of other misfortunes. Where is Noah and God's flood now. NONE OF US DESERVE TO LIVE IF THIS IS HOW WE CHOOSE TO. EITHER WE MUST LEARN TO LIVE TOGETHER OR NOT LIVE AT ALL.

Israel's "Berlin Wall." If West Germany were dispatching suicide bombers to blow up innocent East Germans, the East Gers. would have had every justification to build the wall. I hear the Pal. side's rallying cry: "MR. OMERT, TEAR DOWN THAT WALL (so we can resume our suicide bombings.)" Hari Krishna, I DO know what Rice and Olmert are saying about stopping aid, etc. Did you read my last post??? Let me try it again genius. JUST BECAUSE HAMAS WAS ELECTED DEMOCRATICALLY DOESN'T MEAN THE US OR ISRAEL OR ANYONE ELSE HAS TO LIKE THEM!!! Has it sunk into you now? Apparently you believe democratically-elected entities should be loved by all, even though they kill innocent people. As for Iran having nukes, in some ways I agree it's a double standard. I don't think Iran would use them on Israel anyway because nukes can't distinguish between Israelis and Palestinians. Also, Iran knows what they do to Israel they will get back tenfold. Hari Krishna, Hari Hari, Hari Krishna....

how long will it take for israels "berlin" wall to come down ?

israel is squeaky clean . they have not killed any innocents. babies or adults. oh sorry they were just pre-emptive strikes. that makes it justifiable--my bad.

Smarty Marty do you watch the news?? Ms rice is all over the news talking about suspending aid to the palistinians due to the hamas victory !!! mr acting prime minister of israel is spouting off by the minute about what he will or will not allow the hamas led govt to do. they have not even taken office yet. they and ms. rice are already telling the rest of the world to stop there aid to the palistinians which is wrong. what it is is sour grapes . hey israel has nukes but does not want iran to have them. hey israel level the playing field and get rid of your nukes and no one in the middle east will have them . what ya think about that Marty ?

Krishna Dobbs: Just because Hamas or any party for that matter was elected democratically, it does't mean Bush or Israel or anyone else has to like it! Bush was re-elected 2 years ago - does that mean every American was happy? OF COURSE NOT!! But that's what democracy is all about. You said Israelis now want to cry foul. Where do you get your info from? I haven't heard ONE Israeli saying the election was rigged. But the victors, while democratically elected, yell and scream for Israel's destruction and blow up innocent Jewish babies. So do you expect the Israelis now to love these killers and criminals just because they were democratically elected? Speakin' of democratic elections, wait till Bibi becomes PM. Watch out Palestinians!!

it was a democratic election so live with it. the bush administration touts democracy and democratic elections as his main reason for being in iraq. but win his or israels candidates dont win they want to cry foul and penalize the victors. is this the way democracy works hhmm ???? or is it bush and israel DICTATING to the rest of that region. you cant have it both ways !!!

See above: "Addressing international concerns that aid would be used to fund violence, [Hamas leader] Haniyeh said: "We assure you that all the revenues will be spent on salaries, daily life and infrastructure." Assurances from those who blow up innocent babies aren't worth the time it takes for Hamas to utter their empty words. To the Israeli electorate: the people of Palestine made their choice: armed conflict, suicide bombings, no recognition of Israel and no peace. Come March it will be time for YOU to make your choice. Bibi Netanyahu is the only leader who knows how to deal with Hamas. Don't believe the pundits who say the vote for Hamas was a vote against PA corruption. Eight or nine other parties ran in the election, several of whom were middle-of-the-road who could negotiate peace with Israel. It's very simple. The Palestinians as a whole do not accept our right to exist. There is now no doubt who we are dealking with. Bibi will know what to do.

to be as dumb as the pals we would have to vote in people more extreme than Kach which wants to transfer the arabs out not murder them because they are arabs and it most certainly never sent people to blow themselves up.

No fear?this is how it works. Country-A gives aid to despots running Despotic Regime-B who then places it in Bank-C who loans the money to Country-A to make up the budget short fall resulting from giving aid to despotic Regime-B. However, in this case what will happen is Country-A will donate money to United Nations-D, who will give it to the despots running Despotic Regime-B who will then place it in Bank-C who will loan the money to Country-A to make up the budget short fall resulting from giving to the United Nations-D so that they can say that they don?t give money to terrorist organizations.

I doubt if Moses and Muhammad would be happy to see children of Abraham, jews and muslims alike, fight like pagans amongst themselves, that too over a piece of land. Compassion is supposed to be the hallmark of all three abrahamic religions.

Mike - your simple rhetoric is igorant and uninformed. You don't play politics w/ terrorists. You don't divert revenues into their check books. When oh when will the swine that is the Palestinian street stand up for themselves and build an actual economy. Oh wait, the ONLY industry that the Palestinians have ever ben profecient in, and one that they have been exporting to the remote regions of the world, is TERROR, DEATH, and DESTRUCTION. At least we gave the world potato chips and hot dogs and automobiles. The Palestinian's have given us the Suicide Bomber, Hatred based upong a riduculosly in-accurate religious doctrine. Do not give them money. Let them do it for themselves, dont they want to?

today EU diplomats met with Hamas leaders, they are vying to meet hamas. The rest is for media consumption.

Jewish terror against Palestinians has been far greater and far more criminal that Palestinian terror against Israel. Jewish terror is the problem in Palestine, Jews stole the Palestinian homeland and thieves should be punished.

for killing them, Palestinians will apologize for the Jews for having their homeland stolen by the Jews, haveing their people expelled from Palestine.

Firstly the money is Palestinian. To withold it is theft. If Israel wants to make a "moral stand" against Hamas they can find a mechanism to give the money to the World bank or some other third party who can then administer it to Palestinians directly, bypassing the PA. But whatever the money does not belong to Israel. Secondly isn't all this closing the door after the horse has bolted? The time to object to Hamas is before the election. If you let them take part then you have to accept the possibility that they could win. The election is a sham if it only has one allowable result. A Hamas government + an economic collapse + Iran and Syria stepping in to make up the shortfall is the worst of all possible worlds. I cant believe the US didnt have a contingency for this. This is another case of America being behind the curve, straight out of the "we will be greeted as liberators" script.

I do agree that pals should get their money for the people but how do we stop the finances and others from reaching terrorists.

The IRA didnt call for your destruction but only for a piece of land, the pals want the whole country and for our destruction. The IRA also many times warned the english about a bomb so that they could evacuate before saving lives how can you compare. Your country is so anti-jewish and Israel even being Enlish i have no interest in being there. How short sighted can you be with a mayor calling a jew a nazi and the pals are ok while Israelis are the terrorists will YOU never learn they want london blown up aswell. Observers on the Egypian border didnt work, or on the lebanese border and you are saying that we should let them in to the center of the country to stop our army protecting our people even more.

America supports Israel while it helps them. Israel is americas puppet. We do not need the money we need the support. If aid stopped from america, Israeli technology would stop to America and BTW israel helps america train their troops for the battles in Iraq etc because they have more experience and America has still taken the Pals side on many issues even though there is no difference between pal terrorism and Al Queida terrorism. Israel has canceled deals worth billions with other countries because america threatened them.

The amount pf damage the Pals have caused Israelis even with the missiles the past few months is more then the money Israel owes the pals.

CONDOLIZZA IS NO FRAND OF ISRAEL The way she pushed Sharon in regards to Rafah crossing, must go in to history as one of it darkest days. She must never be welcomed in Israel again.

Hamas didn't stop committing terrorist attacks. Here you have the fatal terrorist attacks since the declaration of principles. Look at the dates when they were committed and who were the perpetrators. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Terrorism/victims.html

The US is right. I feel ashamed of being European because a part of my taxes goes to finance terrorism. In this cases, I would like to be an American. You should be proud of your country.

You are right, Pals have the right to choose who represent them. And yes, the EU has the right to choose whom they sponsor with financial aid. In 2005 alone the EU paid to PA 500 Mio Euro. That's alot of money, and hearing about all the still poor circumstances in "Palestine" I can hardly imagine where the money all went to, while the PA didn't just get those Euro from EU. Looking back I still think it's a shame for the EU and their Gutmenschen, how they spent all this money frequently to the PA. EU citizens are not praised with the best economic times nowadays, unemployment and cuts in social wellfair are on a record high, especially in Germany. Some Europeans must be real happy with Hamas, I guess ...

Please put pressure on the cowards who rule us Europeans.

"Go after the money Arafat and Fatah stole." Abu Mazen and prime minister Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) signed on the dotted line,to give Suha $22m million per annum for the rest of her life. The crook Arafat took from his own peoples hungry mouths. What was his nobel peace prize for again? More than any single person this man and the culture he represented is responsible for the demise of Fatah. Pity the nation whose heroes are crooks.

The Pals have the right to choose who represents them.. and they have. Others have the right to decide how to respond.. Is not enough to cut all aid and money transfers.. ( From US EU ISRAEL THE UN , etc) t is convinient alsop to block transfers from Saudi Arabia or Iran and furthermore is time for Israel to close all border crossings in gaza and to cut all services water, electricty! No sense in helping those that want you dead! Is that so hard to understand?

Let us see whether they say the truth...they want western money that much is clear but they also said they want our spiritual guidance....westerners are mainly Christian so let us see whether they really want our guidance. 1- Drop your weapons and apologize to the Israelis. 2- Turn your other cheek. 3- forgive those who trespass against you. 4- Never induce anybody to comit suicide. 5 - Recognize Israel and plea to live in peace with it. For it is the Land of the Lord!!! If Hamas wants our guidance there you have it.... You reckon they will take it??? Hardly!!!

Didn't Condoleezzaa Rice learn from the Iraq experience? 10 years of sanctions and hundreds of thousands of babies dead due to malnutrition? What did that do for the US image in the Arab/Muslim world? And now she wants a repeat performance in Palestine? Also, we mustn't ignore John Bolton's attack on UNWRA, the UN organization that has been feeding Palestinians for decades. It appears the Bush administration is bent on a policy of force and starving the Palestinians into submission. In addition to the harm Rice's Hamas boycott will do to United States intersts, what about the harm to Israel? If the Palestinians turn to extremist regimes like Iran to replace funding withheld by the West, Israel will be further isolated in the region, surrounded by enemies on all sides. A hostile, Islamist Palestine will come between Israel and Jordan. There must be some way to get aid to the Palestinian people without letting Hamas siphon any of it off to terrorism.

From CNN: "European Union foreign ministers will jointly call on Hamas to recognize the state of Israel, renounce violence and disarm, diplomats say." While they're at it, why not ask Osama Bin Laden to embrace democracy, convert to Judaism, and build a yeshiva in Brooklyn ?

The Palestinians have shown their true feelings in their election of Hamas. They do not want peace only war and the destruction of those who will not submit to their will. Before the election they were told the funds would be cut off if Hamas was elected. Now the US and the EU are being stupid, not to mention being liars if they consider giving the Palestinians money under any circumstance. Any funds given to them will only be used to further their terrorist activities. The Palestinians cannot be trusted under any circumstance. Also, why is everyone so concerned about the US and the EU funds? Where are the billions of dollars that would be pocket change from their Muslim terrorist friends in Saudia Arabia? Or dont the Saudis want the world to see their true colors!

For Israelis I say: your government has created hamas during the first intifad, a few years later your government was negotiating PLO which was more terrorist than Hamas. After that your government realized that PA is still having some terrorist mentalities during the 2nd intifada, some ministries declared that someday we will negotiate Hamas. Israel killed PA with money and corruption and they don?t want PA fateh any more.The USA and EU and Israel (after a huge support for hamas) light is now focusing at the peaceful hamas after they will reject violence and terror. Just a new beginning has begun.Israel and hamas will be a very good team and even friends.For Palestinians I say: it was your choice and you have to the only be responsibles for you WORST choice. Don?t think hams is honest (no politician is honest). They are looking for money as fateh. Hamas will make the final solution (if it is exist already) with no Jerusalem, yes wall, no refugees, no independent state of Palestine,

i believe that hamas can make contacts with islamic and arabic aid

Withholding funds destined for the Palestinian people or Palestinian aid projects is absolutely insane and ruthless. Why are we so concerned about where the funds go now but we weren't worried about the PA providing funds to Al-Aqsa. (No Hamas attack since Aug 2004) Hamas would certainly be more transparent than the previous administration. Just another slap in the face of the average Palestinian who has even more reason to blow himself up now. Sometimes I think we have a death wish. China will provide the funds that we don't and therefore have more say and authority in the region and the US ends up with egg on our face again. Is China the true superpower? Remember Nasr and the Aswan Dam. When the US wouldn't provide the funding, Nasr went to our archenemy, Russia, making the US look stupid. Come on 2008, we need a change!!!!

Israel has no choice but to transfer out all Arabs!

Israel should give the money to the victms of all Hamas Terror. The money should be frozen and petitions should be made to court to be awarded damages against Hamas. It is the right thing to do and also the just thing to do. take Hamas out of terrorism business by means of bankruptcy! Cheers,

Everyone is on the band wagon. There is a consensus. No money, not a penny, unless Hamas revises its charter and commits to non-violence, even though it is still obserivng its hudna. The concern of the international community is a valid one but so too is the question: what will occur if international aid, tax revenues collected by Israel, are witheld? What then? Does Israel, the US, Eu think the Palestinians will come crawling on their knees with their hands open? Do they think it will lead to a continuation of the hudna? Make the unemployed more sympathetic to the West, make Israelis more secure? These too are valid questions before governments simply begin to punish.

this money will be used for infrastructure so they can use the money arab states and iran give to construct better rockets and finance siucide bombings probably in the name of islamic jihad or hamas two. and thanks to mofaz comments about hamas behaving with responsibility 3 days agter they won the elections they can cite his word to silence everyone .Mofaz shut your stupid mouth and do your job

One need only read the Hamas Charter, with its sickening, Nazi-era diatribes against all Jews everywhere, to conclude that the PA should receive no money at all, PERIOD. A landslide majority of Gaza and West bank Arabs voted for Hamas in free elections, so they belong in the same pot. Their economic situation may be grim, but so was that of Germans in late 1944 who had earlier voted the Nazis into power. Look, money is fungible -- Hamas receives cash from extremist regimes to fund social services and to murder Israelis; the more of this that they have to spend on "social commitments" (like pensions to terrorist families), the less they have to spend on terrorism. "Aid" to fund a teacher's salary frees up a salary Hamas uses to fund a terrorist, so he doesn't need to work for a living. Israel has NO legal duty whatever under Oslo, since the Gaza and West Bank Arabs formally abrogated it by voting in Hamas to "de-recognize" and destroy Israel. Now the World knows what they really want.

Noreason for the Palestinians to go down on their hands and knees asking for donation and support when they can go after all the billions that Arafat, Fatah and the PLO stole and wasted. Perhaps we can start with selling the multi-million dollars villas built by the people money and start with an audit of all contracts given to memebers of Fatah or the Palestinians oligarchs. In any case most of the funding was going to pay the salaries of more than 60,000 memebers of security forces, the private militias of Fatah. Certainly the money was not going to the poor and unemployed. Perhaps this is the best thing that can happen, it will force the Palestinians to bring out all the corruption to trial. We can use couple hundered New York lawyers to get to the bottom of all the corruption. Enron is nothing compared to Arafat and his Fatah.

Indeed, US and EU do not care about democracy. They suppose to sponsor regim, whose main official goal is to destroy neighboring country with millions of people as they did with DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED Hitler! Hamas has declared the war with Israel. I am sure that during the World War II UK's, Russia's and US's main concern was to return whatever belonged to Germany. Why all these fighters for democracy do not question how democratic/fair/ legal/honest is to call for destroying your neighbor?! Or this is not as important as money?

When Israel was formed into a modern state, it's fledgling IDF confronted the Igrun and sunk their ship and Begin switched to being a political party. There is no such equivalent on the PA. The PA needs to have theor civil war ant paper oer who is the boss. Abbas promised that he needs to go forward and disarm the militias as promised.

"Can there be a more vile state than Israel?" Yes - Sudan, Algeria, Iran, Taliban-Afghanistan, Saddam's Iraq, Turkey, Saudi Arabia.... I wonder if you see the connection between these "others" mentioned? Of course you don't! As long as you receive a paycheck from the Arab goernments who "support your cause", you're happy to denounce the history of others in the region, the daily death tools that far out-weigh anything in Palestine, and the slander of a whole people based on faulty propaganda. How about you pay Israel for the theft of services - electricity, gas, water? The PA currently owes Israel millions!

Praise be. 57 years late, Saudi Arabia is threatening to give some money to the Palestinians. Could it be that the brethren are actually going to cough up some money? Now who else will put their money where their mouth has been for many years.

It doesn't matter if it's their money. We're still not going to give them money that they're going to use to fund violence aimed against our citizens. Tell me, Robert, if you owed someone $10,000, and you knew he was planning to use it to hire a hitman to bump off your family, would you say, "I have to pay him, it's his money"? Maybe that kind of warped morality makes sense in LA. Here in Israel, where the discussion is not theoretical, we prefer to stay alive, even if it means welshing on our debts to murderers.

"Israel knows exactly where the money will go for, sure not for strengthening Hamas power, but rather for the hundred of thousands of needly and hungry Palestinians for whom Hamas had cared for in the Past-and for that they voted for it!" For years, money donated to the Pals for the civilians and refugee assistance/re-settling has never gone to the populace - kept in squallor for years as political fodder. Do you think Hamas will do the same? Hamas has funneled money from all over the world in the name of charity and used it for weapons - this is a fact and in numerous courts worldwide now. Plus, consider human psyche - do you really think that once these Pals, who have suffered under their leadership for so long, begin to have full-time work, a better economy, nicer housing, a future will really want to return to the days of war a poverty by helping Hamas' goal? No way!

i don't understand why world does permit pals to play by different lows than any other groop. 1. to be refugee one should proof at least 10 years presence - for others, 18 months for pals. 2. only refugee has refugee status not his son or grandson - for others, for pals all family members are refugees, i. e. womwen of refugee that both of them never set foot on palestinian soil. 3. usa destroyed taliban regim in afganistan and saddam terrorist regim in irak but permits the same kind of regim in palestine. 4. usa use much more violence against countries that were never existential treat to them but we can not do this with pals. 5. pals from one point declared war on us with terror, shahids, destruction of israel etc. and from another want to obtain israeli and international aid. this is absurd. 6. you democratically voted for hamas, we respect your democratic choise but you can take consiquences, ther is no free lunch for others of course but pals think that there are for them.

UNRWA has already been accused of assisting the Palestinian uprising, rather than remain apolitical as a UN group should. UNRWA is also the reason so many refugees continue to exist in a world where millions of other refugees moved on with their lives. Olmert should pay Israel for the services provided to the PA, in the form of gas, electricity, etc. If taking the tax monies is in the auspice of a business, so is paying your supplier for services rendered. Anything less is theft! But consider Israel does give UNRWA the money to use for the Pal civilians - how long do you think it will take before Hamas shows up with a dollar-sign on a bag withthe words "Fill it up!"?

Rather than send the money directly to the PA, Israel should pay itself for the millions of $$ the PA owes it for electricity, gas, water, etc. that are not explicitly free from the Olso agreement. How is paying themselves considered theft? The PA are the thieves - for taking services and still refusing to pay for them.

by international low israel has right to freeze all enemy accounts, usa did it with iran in 79. pals did declared open total war on us.

but civil war is exelent development from israeli point of view.

In Regards tp pay bak, i guess israel is the last country to say anything about the support of Palestinian Peope by the World, Israel has been ripping on the whole countries of the world & asking for money tro do this & that for security reasons & has been sucking up the American Peoples Money since the Establishment, I guess Israel Knows better that with out the support of USA it can't hold a year! Don't forget thatr

you declared open war on us and we can do what americans did in 79 with iranian money-they did freez all acounts. permitted by international low. get lost.

It is my hope that all fanancial aid will be stopped until Hamas disarms and renounces terror. There can be no double messages here. Furthermore, for each act of terror, there should be huge fines deducted from the VAT Israel transfers to the Palestinians each month.

don't surprise but im actully with us speech i dont trust hamas we need peace to live with hamas we wont!!!!

Probably you have no idea what this money comes from. This is Palestinian tax money that is collected by Israel at Israei sea-and airports in lieu of the Palestinian authority for goods heading for the Palestinian territories. It is not Israeli money and it is not a contribution for the Palestinians by the Israeli government!

Perhaps Hamas should check with Suha and all the PA $$ that she is in possession of in France. That should tide them over until this mess is straightened out. The statement "Dont withhold aid, it wont go to Terror",...Yea right...and the band played "Believe it if you like".

Are you presenting Jewish morals on this forum? Did Torah learns you this kind of handling? Stop this nonsense and learn to appear decent. You give a worse image of the Jewish people. And pls don't call this anti semitism!

Israelis, don't get misled by Olmert. He can't withhold money that is not his. He is playing a bad game. Just for the sake of next electioins.This money is not a contribution to the Palestinians but it is THEIR Money! If he is playing a better and more human way, he could e.g. give release the sum to the UNRWA and so help the Children of Palestine to avoid getting hungry! Stop this awful play, Olmert, pls.

I agree fully to you. Iagine you have money on your bank account and the bank does not give you the money out just because they dislike you, or not agreeing to your way of life!!! Stupid Israelis like Olmert are only making election propaganda and once he is elected, we will hear different things! Israel knows exactly where the money will go for, sure not for strengthening Hamas power, but rather for the hundred of thousands of needly and hungry Palestinians for whom Hamas had cared for in the Past-and for that they voted for it!

Now, let?s see ? If we Israelis will NOT give money to the Hamas led Palestinians, there will be anarchy in the West bank and Gaza concurrent with the danger of civil war whereby Palestinians will kill Palestinians. If we DO give money to the Hamas led Palestinians, they will combine it with money received from other sources to fund bombing missions whereby Palestinians will kill Israelis. Wow, we Israelis are really in a dilemma!!!

Can people return to planet earth. A chooses B, knowing that B's platform is to destroy C. C has money that belongs to A and B. C chooses not to give the money to A or B. D, E and G (forget F)also object strongly to B's platform, and don't want to give their own money to A or B.

This just demonstrates that Israel and the rest don't care about democracy, and further that they are prepared to let the PA collapse and descend into anarchy - a move that will only contribute to more violence and terror against Israel. How short sighted can you be? Yes, be wary about Hamas. But if you don't accept the choices of the palestinian people, why should they accept yours? Sure, don't transfer the money with no control over where they go. But there's a huge difference between knee jerk statements to the effect of cutting aid that is vital to stabilising the palestinian controlled areas and demanding control and transparency in how the money is used: Demand observers. Demand independent audits. Show Hamas that as long as they decide to act as a responsible governing party instead of a terrorist organisation, they will be rewarded, but be ready to punish them if they waver. It's taken years, and takes a lot of patience, but it worked with the IRA.

"MR ARAUD FORGETS TO TELL YOU THAT FRANCE NEVER BOKE WITH HAMAS. I AM SURE ANGELA MERKEL WITH THE COWARDNESS OF THE IDEA OF MEDIATORS" It seems that you could not finish your comment. The beginning was already quite good. As for her cowardness: Germany has no nuclear weapons yet and the French-German relation probably plays an important role for Germany's politics. Some days ago a politician of Merkel's party has thought of "nuclear weapons for Germany" in public. As for German fears: I hardly could believe my ears recently when the German media brought something about the meeting of Merkel and Chirac: "They will talk about the atomic conflict with Iran." As if Hamburg and Munich were already erased and Paris and Berlin would be the next ones.

How vile is indiscriminate Qassems fired deliberately at population centers? How vile are your suicide bombers? How vile was rejecting peace in 1948 and causing untold death and misery? How vile was the perfidious attack on the Olympics the symbol of peace and international understanding. How low can a people stoop.?? The money is stopped NOT confiscated.Israel will leave that to your Kleptocracy. OK K?

MR ARAUD FORGETS TO TELL YOU THAT FRANCE NEVER BOKE WITH HAMAS. I AM SURE ANGELA MERKEL WITH THE COWARDNESS OF THE IDEA OF MEDIATORS

EU and US was intended to help the Palestininan people & the PA, or to promote the corruption of the PA. So, in all cases aid WILL CONTINUE, even if they had to bribe Hamas officals to allow it in.

Am I dreaming?! There is a debate in Israel on whether to transfer MONEY to a "government" ran by arab TERRORISTS! If Israel will eventually vanish, a large portion of such tragedy should be put on Jews themselves. People, wake up - these money (and any money that the EU and US will, unfortunately, transfer to so-called "palestininas") will be used for 1) weapons upgrades - so that their rockets would become more accurate and powerful 2) propaganda - hamas tv, colorful posters praising suicide bombers - all that crap 3) investments in "palestinian" schools - textbooks that teach kids to kill Jews, etc. WAKE UP - you want to give money to monsters that would kill your 3-year old child in a second!!!!

They always find new and creative ways to do it. "An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile-hoping it will eat him last." -Winston Churchill

If Israel refuses to turn over the Palestinians' money, then Israel is responsible to see to the welfare of the Palestinian people. You can't occupy the land of another people and take the money they need for their support and maintenance. Actually this whole thing brings up an issue that is usually taken for granted. Since Israel controls the land and water of the West Bank why should we assume that this makes the U.S., EU and others responsible for the welfare of the Palestinians? In the case of Americans, we are not only supporting Israel to the tune of 3 billion plus a year, but also spending several hundred million a year on the Palestinians. Some Deal!

Palestinians have been ripping of the international community for 55 years, and cost the Israeli economy scores of billions since they started their little war. Maybe now they'll have to get jobs and support themeselves rather than merely sit around and breed children -- and hatred.

Good night and hope not to see you in the morning, PA!!!

If I wanted you and your whole family dead, would you be looking to find me and pay me the money you owed me or would you kill me first! Or are you a foll?

You wrote: "Let us not forget that the money that Israel holds is Palestinian tax money that Israel is merely collecting on behalf of the PA. Second, Israel has no right in withholding any funds because the current government is not to its liking." In case you haven't noticed, the rules changed with the election of Hamas. Finer points of legal niceties have understandably taken a back seat, in both Hamas' view, and Olmert's view.

Sura(chapter) 17 and find verses 104 to 109 it will blow you away!! http://web.umr.edu/~msaumr/Quran/17.html

hey writers! did you like that last one #28?? Neil golan HAHAHA HUH?

Well, why can't the arabs teach their children how to read Quran? Only the jews can read???

104. And We said thereafter to the Children of Israel, "Dwell securely in the land (of promise)": but when the second of the warnings came to pass, We gathered you together in a mingled crowd. 105. We sent down the (Qur'an) in Truth, and in Truth has it descended: and We sent thee but to give Glad Tidings and to warn (sinners). 106. (It is) a Qur'an which We have divided (into parts from time to time), in order that thou mightest recite it to men at intervals: We have revealed it by stages.

This is a short sighted policy that will give Hamas cover while making the Palestinian nation howl in pain. It looks a lot like collective punishment from my perspective, especially after reading some of the other responses. Imagine what it looks like from a Palestinian perspective. Do you actually need the additional complications in even the best imaginable scenerio if this policy is pursued?

BEFORE THE PA CAN HAVE THEIR MONEY MAKE THEM READ TO THE WORLD, SURA 17 VERSES 104 &105 IN THE HOLY QURAN AND PRINT IT IN THEIR PAPERS AND READ IT ON THEIR RADIO AND TV'S THE TRUTH IS NOT TO MUCH TO ASK! IS IT?

".....and this money will fund a Palestinian army." So MK Silvan Shalom does not want a palestanian army to be rebuilt after it was destroyed by Sharon. I hope that I do not also ever hear from him that the armed groups must be disarmed!!!

It is TAX money Israel has collected for goods on behalf of the PA based on some earlier agreements. It is NOT a present from Israel to the PA. Thus, it should be given to them or kept in escrow until a decission is reached. All your yapping and inuendos (shyloc #16, where is Haaretz rules !!) are proof of your ignorance or lack of discipline in a discussion. Go read the facts, then send in your opinion, whatever it may be.

Give the money to the Israeli terror victims of Hamas and to the stranded Jews of Gush Katif!

Golden decision! Don't ransfer a single Pruta to either Hamas or the PA. The fear that the PA may collapse is of no importance, as a full year of its "help" has already shown. For once let Israel speak to the Palestinian people in their own way - you use your democratic right in voting and we use our democratic right not to finance your wish for our destruction. It is as simple as that. Ken Yovedu

The Israelis give the PA funding, based on what ISRAEL earns. Why should Israel give money to people who want to kill them. All of you Hamas sympathizers had better get yourselves together or else you're only going to be more and more upset when the real world follows through cuts off the terrorists. The PA was terrible but at least they could work with the Israelis.

If this money belongs to the Palestinians then the money needs to be put aside in esgrow. Eventually to be dispersed to the Palestinians for basic necessities- Not arms to Hamas.

To keep Palestinian money would be a theft and leading Palestinians to despair. They have been taken away from their land, what else? If Israel wants to be considered a democratic country, it has to accept the result of the polls.

Israel should not shylock the money..it's there money and it just wouldn't be morally right...but then who knows..it is Israel,.,,and it is money we're talking about here...well, let's wait and see.

Yishai, Michael and Dudu - all the morals of Yasser sending money to Suha.

GOOD.No one in anyway should/can give any 'idea' that Hamas is acceptable.And now more than ever the world sort of understsnds.

I don't think so. Israel needs to make very clear that it wouldn't spit on Hamas in a fire.

Withholding the tax money is fine, as long as it is kept in trust until Hamas is no longer in power. Stealing the tax money from the Arabs and giving it to Israelis is a sin.

Mofaz is right. Withholding the funds that belong to them could well lead to civil war and anarchy. Time to stop playing politics, and look ahead at probable consequences of Israeli actions. This is a lot more important than trying to make a statement that may make Israelis feel better for the moment, but cost heavily in the end.

Israel stole our land, and now it is stealing our money as well. Can there be a more vile state than Israel?

Typical hypocrisy. We want democracy, but not Hamas. We will kill their leaders, and withhold funding. Well, Israel, you have a choice. If Ehud Ohlmert is foolish enough to withhold money that rightfully belongs to Palestinians, they will get it from other sources many of which are far more hostile to Israel than Hamas. This is a time for politics based on pragmatism, not ideology. The fact that Hamas even hints at talks with Israel, is proof they accept Israel's existence. This is absolutely the worst time to marginalize Hamas.

Play out the money in daily lottery to Israeli citizens, 7 Mio Shekel should be spend every working day. Good luck to all!

I like Bibi- but is the unification of armed forces under one guise known as the Palestinian Army necessarily a bad thing? You cant expect a country not to want a soverign fighting force provided they are extremely well monitored (can someone say US operational Base in Gaza City?) Its not that crazy...

It is quite amazing the knee jerk reactions the Israeli government had been taking since the landslide victory of Hamas in the Palestinian elections. Let us not forget that the money that Israel holds is Palestinian tax money that Israel is merely collecting on behalf of the PA. Second, Israel has no right in withholding any funds because the current government is not to its liking. It is like the PA reneging on agreements if the Israeli electorates elect an Israeli government that is not to its liking. In my humble opinion, this attitude is a great contributor to the state of distrust where written agreements are more or less "guidelines" to be ignored at will.

Create a system of divvying up the money equally between the Palestinian families involved and transfer it directly to their personal bank accounts. Program in an electronic slap on the wrist for any unauthorized individuals trying to put their grubby paws on the transfers. They have to stand in the electronic cue like everyone else and only get their fair share.

A very strange thing has happened. The one man who previously had access to all the PA bank accounts, and was the chief financier and monopolist of every major Palestinian industry --- Muhammed Rashid ---- has vanished. Completely disappeared. Poof! Where is he? Dov Weisglass has the man's private cell phone, maybe he should give Rashid a call, and sit down to talk this over... Israel previously gave all this tax money directly to Rashid-controlled PA accounts at Bank Leumi in Tel Aviv, and I see no reason that can't be done now.

Having promised the Security Service money towards loyalty, Abbas now will lose his last support. Dahlan and his "young turks" are calling for the same Security Services to join them and the call for shooting any Fatah Minister that joins Hamas sure is going to make this coming week a make or break situation for Mahmoud Abbas. Maybe the US cavallery will come to his aid. If not, he will step down.

To pay off the Arab debt for our water, electricity, and so on- and to pay for the damage that the terrorists cause.