Financial Crisis Looms For Hamas-Dominated Palestinian Authority

From the Washington Post:

JERUSALEM, Feb. 27 -- A special Middle East envoy, James D. Wolfensohn, has warned international donors that the Palestinian Authority could collapse within two weeks unless fresh funding can be found to pay salaries, clear overdue energy bills and sustain government services financed largely by foreign aid.

Wolfensohn lays the blame at the feet of the Israelis, for withholding taxes and fees they collect for the Palestinians. Israel, for excellent reasons, designates Hamas, which will soon take over the PA, as a terrorist organization. So does the United States.

And, of course, as with virtually every dealing with the Palestinians, there is the threat of violence:

"If we do not want to see rising tension leading to violence and chaos -- particularly just before the Israeli election -- we will have to develop urgently a convincing strategy addressing the PA's financial and developmental needs, not only in the short-term of the next few weeks but also in a longer time frame," Wolfensohn wrote.

I find it shameful for an American official to excuse extortion.

The Palestinians have made their bed. The brave jihadi babyhunters of Hamas can go to Hell.