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PA, Hamas compete over aid to Gazans
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority are in competition over which will offer more compensation to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip affected by the ongoing violence.
Buying votes in the finest tradition of Chicago politics
Representatives of the PA have been distributing financial aid to families whose houses were destroyed by the IDF, especially in Khan Yunis and Rafah. Over the past two weeks, PA officials have visited families whose houses or business were demolished to offer them financial assistance. More than 200 families have benefited, and some later published newspaper advertisements thanking Arafat for his generosity.
Bet you get another handout for each ad you place
Owners of dozens of metal workshops in the Gaza Strip, which have been destroyed on suspicion of manufacturing rockets and mortars, have also received money from Arafat.
Have to keep those workshops humming
The sums range between $5,000 and $25,000 for each family. In addition, the PA's various ministries and institutions have been providing financial aid to the families and relatives of Palestinians killed or injured since the beginning of the intifada.
But in recent weeks Hamas, which enjoys widespread support in the Gaza Strip, has intensified its efforts to provide financial assistance to victims of the violence. PA officials are closely following its activities, warning that the distribution of the funds will most likely increase support for Hamas in the Gaza Strip at the PA's expense.
I think that's the idea.
On Sunday night, Hamas officials in Gaza City summoned 86 people to a mosque in the Shajaiyeh neighborhood and gave them different sums of money. The ceremony was attended by Hamas founder and spiritual leader Ahmed Yassin and Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a top official of the movement. The recipients were mostly merchants from the open market in the Zaitoun neighborhood, whose shops were damaged during a recent IDF operation. A special committee established by Hamas assessed the damage and recommended the amount of compensation for each of the merchants. Altogether, the merchants received a total of $600,000. Hamas is also offering monthly payments to families of those who carry out suicide attacks or die in clashes with the IDF. The family receives a one-time payment of $10,000 from Hamas and less than half that from Arafat. A PA official in Gaza City said the Hamas handouts have become almost a daily practice. "They're spending a lot of money,"he said. "They are also paying more than Arafat. That's why their power is growing. People see that Hamas has more money, so they turn to it for assistance."
Plenty of money for bombers, but they don't have any funds for food aid.
Posted by: Steve 2003-02-11
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=10135