EU halts aid to Palestinians

The European Union announced the suspension of aid payments to the Palestinian government, a move slammed by Hamas as “black mail”, AFP reported.

"For the time being there are no payments to or through the Palestinian Authority," said Emma Udwin, a spokeswoman for EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

Udwin was referring to EU aid funds managed collectively by the European Commission.

Humanitarian aid provided by individual members of the 25-nation bloc to NGOs or UN relief agencies is not expected to be affected by the recent EU announcement.

The European Commission, the executive arm of the EU - the largest donor to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority - had approved the payment of 120 million euros in February to the caretaker Palestinian government after Hamas won the legislative elections in January.

But the EU, along with the U.S., threatened Hamas to cut aid unless it recognizes Israel, gives up anti-Israeli attacks and accept past accords with the Jewish state.

European Union Foreign Minister are scheduled to meet next Monday in Luxemburg to discuss what to do about future aid to the Palestinian Authority.

Udwin said the European Commission was adopting “a policy of maximum prudence" so as not to pre-judge the European ministers' talks.

Meanwhile, Hamas, which took office last month, condemned the suspension of EU funds as a form of “blackmail and collective punishment" on the Palestinian people, Reuters reported.

"We will not accept such a blackmail," Government spokesman Ghazi Hamad said.

"Hamas was elected democratically and the Palestinian people are punished for their choice…. The EU will not only punish the Government but all the Palestinian people - the poor, the students, the workers,” he added.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya warned that the Palestinian Authority is already facing a severe financial crisis, mainly caused by Israel‘s decision to cut tax revenues to the new Hamas-led government.

However, Hamas said it would make up for any cash shortfalls with aid from Muslim countries.

Israeli air strikes

The Israeli army launched three air strikes overnight on several targets in the Gaza Strip, including the offices of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, BBC reported.

"Our helicopters launched three attacks,” an Israeli army spokesman said, adding that the two attacks targeted two Al-Aqsa Matryrs’ offices at Beit Lahya in northern Gaza. The third hit a helicopter launch pad inside Gaza City.

There were no reports of casualties.

The Israeli strikes followed rocket attacks on Israeli towns, which Israel blamed on Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, the armed wing of the Fatah movement.

In another development, Israeli occupation forces killed a Palestinian man in the West Bank town of Nablus.

Israeli army officials said soldiers exchanged fire with Palestinian gunmen during an overnight raid to arrest wanted fighters in the town.

But Palestinian witnesses said the dead man didn’t belong to any resistance group.