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The tens of millions of dollars that Israel managed to prevent the Palestinian prime minister from bringing into the Gaza Strip, are small change compared to the fortune that Iran promised to transfer to Hamas in the coming period.
Declarations made by Ismail Haniya while visiting Tehran and information reported by Hamas indicate that Iran promised to send Hamas no less than a quarter of a billion dollars. Among other things, the Iranians promised to send Hamas monetary aid of USD 100 million in 2007; to pay for 300 vehicles at a cost of USD three million-and to pay USD 1.5 million to repair two Palestinian planes in Jordan.
Furthermore, Iran will pay the salaries of three government ministries for half a year and will pay allowances to prisoners and their families at a cost of USD 45 million; it will give USD 60 million to 100,000 unemployed by means of monthly allowances of USD 100 for every unemployed person for half a year.
In addition, Iran promised to pay for building a cultural center and for offices for top Hamas leaders, in place of the ones that Israel bombed, at a cost of USD 15 million-and to rebuild 2,000 homes that were destroyed at a cost of USD 20 million. The Iranians even promised to buy the olive oil surplus from the territories for USD 5 million, and to send allowances of USD 1.8 million to Palestinian fishermen.
Not only Iran promised monetary aid to Hamas. In the course of his trip, Haniya received other donations, altogether USD 40 million from Qatar and USD 10 million from Sudan. The money that the Hamas prime minister raised comes to USD 300 million.
According to Israel’s information, Hamas managed to smuggle more than USD 60 million into the Gaza Strip last year. The “champion of smugglers” is considered to be PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud a-Zahar, who in one trip to the Arab states brought donations of USD 25 million. Interior Minister Said Siam “only” managed to smuggle USD 5 million.
Hamas Spokesman in the Gaza Strip Fawzi Barhoum told Yediot Ahronot, “the money that Haniya brought is meant to pay salaries of state workers and to pay allowances to needy families in advance of the holiday.” Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said, “the money is meant to buy missiles aimed against Israel instead of medicine and food for the Palestinians.”
