Olmert Rushes $400 Million to Corrupt Abbas

I have seen a news source which indicates that Hamas members remain on Abbas' payroll, and yet Olmert responds to the "surprise" Hamas takeover of Gaza with an instantaneous $400 million windfall to Fatah:

Israel is expected to release withheld tax funds to the Palestinian Authority in time for a Middle East summit in Sharm el-Sheikh next Monday with Egypt, Jordan, and the PA. Israel is currently in control of about $400 million in Palestinian taxes, which have not been transferred to the PA as of yet due to Hamas' rise to power. However, following the establishment of a new emergency government headed by Salam Fayyad, the U.S. and Europe have resumed financial aid to the Palestinians, prompting Prime Minister Olmert to allow the flow of funds to the PA.

Salam Fayyad, universally reported as "widely respected for his integrity" was nominated for his post of Finance Minister by Hamas.

The withheld tax funds will be transferred to the Palestinians in installments, through a mechanism that will ensure none of the funds reach terror organizations, or any groups associated with terror, including Hamas.

This is an outrageous falsehood, and it is difficult to believe that this is only negligence on the part of the journalist. Thousands of terrorists in both the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades and Hamas have consistently been on the PA payroll. Every recent transfer of money to the PA has included this claim, later followed by reports of funds transfers to Hamas.

One would think that if the precipitous Hamas takeover was really a surprise, Olmert would need to study the situation and deliberate with his advisers before responding with such dramatic largesse. He might want to ask why Fatah fighters consistently claimed that they were denied bullets to respond to Hamas attacks when they were not ordered outright by their commanders not to fight. He might want some information on how much of his past millions went to Hamas.