Israel frees funds for Abbas?

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and why does Hamas calls it bribery?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070624/wl_n...

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Of course it's bribery.

Whatever you think of Hamas, and I don't support them, they were democratically elected (not because of their violent anti-Israel policy but because they helped the Palestiian people domestically, unlike corrupt Fatah).

So Israel and the international community said, "We're not having this, they've elected the wrong people, and we'll use financial pressure to squeeze and humiliate them until their own people turn against them."

So now they've been ousted from power in the West Bank, the Palestinians have been split into two, and they are no longer the "legitimate" government, Israel rewards the other side with money which belongs to all Palestinians.

It's "play the electoral game our way or we starve you", basically.

Edit: Michael J, I see the snide way you aim to make those who aren't fully conversant with the issue think that the funds Israel is releasing are a gift to Palestine. Not so - they are Palestinian taxes and customs duties collected by Israel, as part of the control of all goods entering and leaving the Palestinian Territories.
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Hamas is a terrorist group in case you don't know that.
Hamas was hoping to get the funds for themself to buy weapons and blow up people.

Boogie
You have to understand how international politics work. Yes, Hamas was elected democratically - good for them. That doesn't mean the world is just going to throw free money at them; the world has some requirements from those who they give money to. The US and EU have no responsibility or need to fund a terrorist anti-Western state actively murdering civilians. It's that simple. NO ONE claims the election isn't valid, and no one claimed that the government wasn't legitimate; they just said that they aren't going to give money and support such a regime. There's demands were wholly reasonable: Agree to past agreements, recognise Israel's existence and stop terror. That's it, and it isn't really all that difficult to do. If they weren't willing to accept that, then they don't deserve international support.
Giving money to Abbas is supposed to show the Palestinians that the only way to peace and prosperity is through moderation, and not extremism.
They call it bribery. Cupcakes anyone?
Hamas was elected and and Abbas was nominated.