Qatar in bid to resolve dispute over Gaza funds

The officials said the move to revise the names came at the request of the Qatari National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, headed by Mohammed al-Emadi.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Buildings are seen from across the water in Doha, Qatar (photo credit: REUTERS)
Buildings are seen from across the water in Doha, Qatar
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Hamas officials said on Tuesday that they were revising the names of Palestinian recipients of Qatari funds after discovering that the names of previous beneficiaries were included in a new list.
The officials said the move to revise the names came at the request of the Qatari National Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, headed by Mohammed al-Emadi.
Earlier this week, the Qataris delivered another $10 million to the Gaza Strip. Hamas announced that some 100,000 impoverished families would each receive 100 dollars from the Qatari cash.
However, the distribution of the payments has been temporarily suspended, sparking a wave of speculation in the Gaza Strip regarding the reason for the sudden postponement.
Many Palestinians expressed disappointment over the delay and some held Israel fully responsible for hindering the payments.
Emadi was quoted on Monday night as saying that the delay was due to “technical procedures.” He expressed hope that the money would be handed out in the coming days.
Emadi said that the distribution of the funds was also delayed so that some of the money would be invested in various projects in the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave.
Unconfirmed reports, however, said that the delay came after Israel voiced opposition to the names of some 4,000 recipients. Other sources claimed that a dispute has erupted between Israel and the Qataris over the names of at least 8,000 beneficiaries.
The Qataris were now negotiating with Israel to find a solution to the problem, the reports added.
The Israel Broadcasting Corporation, KAN, reported on Tuesday that the Qatari funds delivered to the Gaza Strip through Israel were “trickling” to members of Hamas’s military wing, Izaddin al-Kassam.
Quoting unnamed sources in the Gaza Strip, KAN said that Hamas military personnel and commanders were receiving the funds through their relatives, whose names appear on the list approved by Israel.
Hamas did not comment on the report. A senior Hamas official said that his movement was now waiting to hear from the Qataris about the outcome of their discussions with Israeli officials concerning the controversy surrounding the payments.