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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Israel to free Palestinian funds | Israel to free Palestinian funds |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Israel has approved the release of frozen tax funds to the emergency government of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. | Israel has approved the release of frozen tax funds to the emergency government of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| The move will help reinforce Mr Abbas's position against Hamas, which has taken control of the Gaza Strip. | The move will help reinforce Mr Abbas's position against Hamas, which has taken control of the Gaza Strip. |
| An Israeli official said the tax revenues would be handed over in stages to prevent the money reaching Hamas. | An Israeli official said the tax revenues would be handed over in stages to prevent the money reaching Hamas. |
| The money was originally withheld by Israel after the Islamist group came to power in the January 2006 election. | The money was originally withheld by Israel after the Islamist group came to power in the January 2006 election. |
| The cabinet's vote came ahead of a summit that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is due to attend with Mr Abbas and Egyptian and Jordanian leaders. | The cabinet's vote came ahead of a summit that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is due to attend with Mr Abbas and Egyptian and Jordanian leaders. |
| Scepticism | |
| Mr Olmert said the funds would "gradually help the new Palestinian government, one that is not a Hamas government". | Mr Olmert said the funds would "gradually help the new Palestinian government, one that is not a Hamas government". |
| "We will discuss with the Palestinian president tomorrow, and with the Palestinian government in the summit's aftermath, how we release the funds," he said. | |
| The Israelis should release all our money. These are Palestinian, not Israeli, funds Saeb Erekat | |
| An official said the money would be released once a mechanism is established to ensure that it does not reach Hamas. | |
| A BBC correspondent says Israel has spoken about releasing the tax revenues over before, and many Palestinians will be sceptical until the funds are handed over. | |
| An Israeli government official said the cabinet approved the transfer of around $350m (£125m), the Reuters news agency reported. | An Israeli government official said the cabinet approved the transfer of around $350m (£125m), the Reuters news agency reported. |
| But it added this was short of the $700m sought by the Palestinian president. | But it added this was short of the $700m sought by the Palestinian president. |
| A senior aide to Mr Abbas, Saeb Erekat, said: "The Israelis should release all our money. These are Palestinian, not Israeli, funds." | |
| Last week, the US, the EU, and Israel said they would lift the economic embargo on the emergency government announced by Mr Abbas. | Last week, the US, the EU, and Israel said they would lift the economic embargo on the emergency government announced by Mr Abbas. |
| At the time Israel said it would handover about $800m (£400m) of custom taxes. | At the time Israel said it would handover about $800m (£400m) of custom taxes. |
| Earlier this month Mr Abbas dissolved government and declared a state of emergency, following deadly clashes between his Fatah faction and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. | |
| The fighting left Hamas in control of Gaza, while Fatah says it retains control in the West Bank. |