(AP/Kuwait Times) Tens of millions of dollars in aid for the Palestinians is stuck in Arab banks that won't release it for fear of U.S. retribution, Palestinian finance minister Omar Abdel Razek of Hamas said Wednesday. "The money is available. The problem is getting it here." Hamas has raised about $70 million so far from Iran and Saudi Arabia, the finance minister said. Even if the money gets through, it won't solve long-term problems. The U.S. and EU have cut off hundreds of millions of dollars in aid. Israel and the Western donors have said they will restore the flow of money only if Hamas renounces violence, recognizes Israel's right to exist, and accepts past peace agreements. Hamas has rejected the demands.
2006-04-28 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive