 RIYADH - Saudi Arabia told visiting Palestinian foreign minister Mahmud Zahar on Tuesday that it will pay its share of 92.4 million dollars to the Palestinian Authority, an aide to Zahar said.
| Uncle Abdullah comes through again with the Danegeld ... |
Zahar met in Riyadh with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud as part of efforts by the Hamas-led Palestinian government to muster Arab financial aid after the United States and European Union cut funds, citing HamasÂ’ refusal to recognize Israel and renounce violence.
Saud told Zahar that Saudi Arabia would pay 92.4 million dollars, amounting to the oil-rich kingdomÂ’s contribution under a resolution adopted at an Arab summit in Khartoum last month, the aide told AFP. The sum covers the period from mid-October 2005 to mid-October 2006.
| It covers about one month's salaries for the Paleo civil service, a group indistinguishable from the Paleo population in general. This still leaves them begging for cash on a month-to-month basis, which doesn't help their public image much. |
Saudi Arabia also gave the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority 20 million dollars in emergency aid last month to help it pay civil servantsÂ’ salaries at the request of Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, the source said.
| Again, the April payroll is coming up ... |
He said Saud and Zahar discussed “the deteriorating economic conditions in the Palestinian territories” and “ways of breaking the international isolation imposed on the new Palestinian government” after militant Hamas took power following its upset victory in January elections. The Saudi minister stressed that “the kingdom will continue to support the Palestinian people and their authority, both politically and financially,” according to Zahar’s aide.
| "Just don't boom us," he warned the Paleos. |
The two sides agreed on the need for the Hamas-led government to ”coordinate fully” with Abbas, he added. |