Israel uses Qatari grant to pressure Hamas
In the wake of the military escalation between Israel and the Gaza Strip, Israel has frozen the third transfer of the Qatari grant to Gaza, thus breaching understandings reached with Hamas.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — The Israeli security Cabinet decided Jan. 23 to allow the transfer of the third tranche of the Qatari grant to the Gaza Strip, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu froze the transfer twice, on Jan. 7 and Jan. 22, because of the escalating security tension on the border between Gaza and Israel.
On Jan. 23, Qatar’s Ambassador to the Palestinian territories Mohammed al-Emadi held talks with the head of Israel’s National Security Council, Meir Ben-Shabbat, in Jerusalem to convince Israel to allow the transfer.
Following the talks, the Qatari funds entered the Gaza Strip on Jan. 24.
Emadi had told Reuters Jan. 20 that Israel freezing the transfer was due to the heightened security tension on the Israel-Gaza border.
