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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Haniya decries Israel 'blackmail' | Haniya decries Israel 'blackmail' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Hamas leader Ismail Haniya has attacked Israel's decision to release frozen tax funds to the new Palestinian government as "blackmail". | Hamas leader Ismail Haniya has attacked Israel's decision to release frozen tax funds to the new Palestinian government as "blackmail". |
| Mr Haniya, sacked as Palestinian PM after Hamas took control of Gaza, said the money belonged to all Palestinians. | Mr Haniya, sacked as Palestinian PM after Hamas took control of Gaza, said the money belonged to all Palestinians. |
| He also rejected a summit beginning in Egypt on Monday, saying only resistance would give Palestinians a state. | He also rejected a summit beginning in Egypt on Monday, saying only resistance would give Palestinians a state. |
| Israel's move is designed to shore up support for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. | Israel's move is designed to shore up support for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. |
| In another development, an Israeli air strike killed a Palestinian militant in a car north of Gaza City on Sunday night. | |
| The Israeli army says it was targeting a rocket-launching cell. | |
| Islamic Jihad said the dead man was a rocket-making expert and a local commander of the group. Two other militants were wounded in the strike. | |
| It was the first such air strike since Hamas took full control of Gaza 10 days ago. | |
| Aiding Abbas | |
| Mr Abbas' new emergency government does not include Hamas. | |
| The money was originally withheld by Israel after Hamas came to power in the January 2006 election. | The money was originally withheld by Israel after Hamas came to power in the January 2006 election. |
| Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the funds would "gradually help the new Palestinian government, one that is not a Hamas government". | Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the funds would "gradually help the new Palestinian government, one that is not a Hamas government". |
| Our land, our nation will not come back to us except with steadfastness and resistance Ismail HaniyaFormer Palestinian PM | Our land, our nation will not come back to us except with steadfastness and resistance Ismail HaniyaFormer Palestinian PM |
| He said: "We will discuss with the Palestinian president tomorrow [Monday], and with the Palestinian government in the summit's aftermath, how we release the funds." | |
| An Israeli official said the money would be released once a mechanism was established to ensure that it does not reach Hamas. | An Israeli official said the money would be released once a mechanism was established to ensure that it does not reach Hamas. |
| The embargo had a devastating impact on the Palestinian economy and meant that many of the Palestinian Authority's 160,000 employees have not received their full pay in more than a year. | The embargo had a devastating impact on the Palestinian economy and meant that many of the Palestinian Authority's 160,000 employees have not received their full pay in more than a year. |
| "This money should not be used for blackmail but should be paid to all Palestinians," Mr Haniya said in his first speech since Hamas' Gaza takeover. | "This money should not be used for blackmail but should be paid to all Palestinians," Mr Haniya said in his first speech since Hamas' Gaza takeover. |
| 'Steadfastness' | 'Steadfastness' |
| The promised release of the funds - thought to be hundreds of millions of dollars - came a day ahead of a Middle East summit in Egypt. | |
| Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is hosting the talks between Mr Abbas, Mr Olmert, and Jordan's King Abdullah II. | |
| But Mr Haniya said any hopes generated by the prospect of the talks was a "mirage" and "illusions". | But Mr Haniya said any hopes generated by the prospect of the talks was a "mirage" and "illusions". |
| He said: "The Americans won't give anything. Israel won't give us anything. Our land, our nation will not come back to us except with steadfastness and resistance." | He said: "The Americans won't give anything. Israel won't give us anything. Our land, our nation will not come back to us except with steadfastness and resistance." |
| The summit will be held in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. | The summit will be held in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. |
| "These talks do not include final status issues, but rather, how the prime minister and the president of the Palestinian Authority would envision a future Palestinian state," Israeli government official David Baker said. | "These talks do not include final status issues, but rather, how the prime minister and the president of the Palestinian Authority would envision a future Palestinian state," Israeli government official David Baker said. |