Hamas and Fatah Already Fighting Over Gaza Funds

by Khaled Abu Toameh, gatestoneinstitute.org, September 20, 2014

“Armed robbery in broad daylight.” — Palestinians, after Hamas “seized” $750,000 from Gaza bank.

Fatah accused Hamas of “squandering” $700 million of financial aid earmarked for the Palestinian victims of war. Fatah wants to ensure that the millions of dollars intended for the Gaza Strip will pass through its hands and not end up in Hamas’s bank accounts. Relying on Fatah in this regard is like asking a cat to guard the milk.

The head of the Palestinian Authority’s Anti-Corruption Commission revealed that his group has retrieved $70 million of public funds fund embezzled by Palestinian officials. Arab and Western donors need to make sure that their money does not end up (once again) in the wrong hands. Without a proper mechanism of accountability and transparency, hundreds of millions of dollars are likely to find their way into the bank accounts of both Hamas and Fatah leaders.

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