Fatah Uses Funds Transferred by Olmert to Pay 3,500 Hamas Menby Ezra HaLevi
8/09/07(IsraelNN.com) The US and Israel-backed Fatah Palestinian Authority used the money it received to pay an entire year’s salary to 3,500 members of Hamas’s terrorist forces.
Fatah claimed the payment – amounting to $16 million – was wired “accidentally.” The claim was believed and reported at face-value by the Associated Press (“Abbas' gov't inadvertently pays salaries to outlawed Hamas militia”) and other international news agencies. Not passing the money to Hamas was the only stipulation set by Israel in transferring the money to the PA.
Fatah officials claim a “computer error” was responsible and that the Bank of Palestine was ordered to withdraw the deposited funds. Most Hamas members had already withdrawn the money, however.
FULL STORY at
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Fayad gov't pays Hamas salaries due to 'computer error'
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1186557402114&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFullOops! PA Pays 3,500 Hamas Men 'By Mistake'