Posted on 05/10/2006 9:34:16 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) - The Israeli company that provides fuel to the Palestinian areas is cutting off supplies due to growing debts, Israeli and Palestinian officials said Wednesday, a move that could deepen a humanitarian crisis in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The head of the Palestinian petrol commission, Mujahid Salame, said he expected gasoline supplies to run out by Thursday. "If this happens, there will be a humanitarian crisis," he said.
He said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was in touch with American and European diplomats in hopes of pressuring Israel to ensure the flow of fuel to the Palestinian areas.
Dor Energy has been the sole provider of gasoline to the Palestinian areas since interim peace agreements were signed in the mid-1990s. Company officials declined comment.
Salame said the Palestinians owe about $26 million to Dor, but he accused the company of taking a political decision aimed at punishing the Hamas-led Palestinian government.
Israel has stopped about $55 million in monthly tax transfers to the Palestinians, demanding that the militant Islamic group renounce violence and recognize the Jewish state. The tax money has been placed in escrow.
Last month, Israel used this money to pay Palestinian debts owed to government-run companies like the Israeli electric company.
But Asaf Shariv, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said Israel would "absolutely not" bail out the Palestinians this time. Dor has cut off supplies twice before this year - only to be paid at the last minute by the Palestinians.
Israeli economic pressure, along with a cutoff in aid by Western donors, has left the Hamas government unable to pay its bills and thousands of civil servants without salaries.
Western powers agreed Tuesday to restore humanitarian aid to the Palestinian areas, as long as the money doesn't reach Hamas. But it remained unclear when the money will begin flowing.
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Guess they are going to have to cross ANFO off their IED list.
Funny, they are only about 100 miles from Saudi Arabia and its oil fields. Wha' happen?
No one sees an irony in that Jews have to supply oil products to Arabs?
Yeah. Saudi's sell to those who pay their bills I guess.
We do now, and thanks for pointing that out!
Not all Palestinians celebrated.
Obviously they were a minority, insufficient to call their neighbours bastards for daring to celebrate such a tragedy.
Regards, Ivan
I'm sure the Arab world will just run with all their oil money to sustain the Palestinians.
With all the oil the Saudi's have Isreal was giving gas to the Pali's 'on-the-arm'?
Israel controls all the borders, they decide what goes in or out. This could be relaxed of course if the Palestinians would stop trying to import bombs and guns.
No, you're wrong.
Thanks to Rice, Israel does not control the Rafah Crossing between Gaza and Egypt.
Which begs the question about the "suffering Palestinians" and all their shortages: why doesn't aid come from Egypt?
Israel controls the Israeli side.
Let them dry up and blow away like tumble weeds. They are nomadic at heart anyways
The Egyptians are too busy fighting amongst themselves.
Not in public anyway.
Israel has cameras there. There are Europeans stationed there.
There are articles after articles- many posted here- about all the arms that are being smuggled into Gaza through that crossing.
Why doesn't aid flow there from the Arab World?
We are not dealing here with anything that needs to enter Israel. There is no impediment for goods to flow from Egypt to Gaza. What's the excuse?
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
I do think that they need to have basics like electricity, water, food and fuel though. I think cutting them off from that would be dangerous and cruel.
You're right, though, let someone else pay for it, not us or the Europeans. Let Iran pay.
Why does the Arab Israeli conflict dominate the news?
During the Cold War is was said the it could trigger the next World War. But what about now? Why is it of any interest? Why is there a Quartet?
Because it is said that anti American and Western feeling are aroused by the Arab's love and care for the "treatment" of the "Palestinians".
That is proven to be a lie. They hate Israel. But there care not a wit about the "Palestinians".
That's the Arab and Islamic World.
So why does the Western World and the US Administration continue to make it a front burner issue and always at Israel's expense?
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