The Israeli TV reported on Sunday night that Israel decided to regard the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, as irrelevant and that the Israeli Security Services, Shin Bet, decided to reject an extended truce with Hamas.Regarding Abbas as an irrelevant figure is similar to Israel’s position against the late Palestinian president, Yasser Arafat.
According to the Israeli TV report, the Shin Bet, decided to reject a long term truce with the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas.
The Israeli announcement came shortly after the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, held a press conference in Gaza, on Sunday evening, and said that the Palestinian Authority (P.A) is suffering a real financial crisis.
Abbas added that the P.A is holding talks with the United States after the U.S demanded the P.A to return the 50 million dollars paid by the U.S in aid to the P.A.
“We are holding talks with the Americans on this issue”, Abbas said, “Next week, an American delegate will arrive in the country to discuss this issue”.
Israel recently halted tax revenue payments which were supposed to be transferred to the P.A.
Earlier Sunday, the new Palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyyeh, nominated by Hamas, described Israel’s decision to halt the transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority as a move that "does not scare the Palestinian people."
Haniyyeh added the new Israeli procedures, which were implemented after Hamas was elected, as acts which are meant to force the Palestinians bend on their knees.
“We will be able to handle this challenge”, Haniyyeh stated, “We have successfully handled in the past”.
Meanwhile, the Israeli acting Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, said on Sunday that Israel decided to halt the transfers of tax revenue to the P.A effective immediately.
