GAZA, May 2 (UPI) -- Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh pleaded with Arab leaders to intervene immediately to loosen the noose on the Palestinian people.
The Palestinian premier's call reflected the worsening economic and living conditions of the Palestinian people after the United States and European Union suspended monthly assistance to the Palestinian Authority following Hamas' electoral victory.
"I address a plea to the secretary-general of the Arab League Amr Mousa and the president of the Arab summit, Sudanese President Hassan al-Bashir, and Arab leaders to intervene immediately to end the Palestinian's sufferings and stop the Americans from interfering in daily bread earning of the Palestinians," Haniyeh said during a cabinet meeting in Gaza Tuesday.
He said his ministers dispatched to Arab and Islamic countries succeeded in gathering big funds and mechanisms for channeling the money to the occupied territories are being debated at a time the U.S. administration is trying to obstruct the operation.
"The U.S. administration is seeking to obstruct all mechanisms proposed to channel the funds, proving that the issue of financial assistance is a political matter aimed at putting pressure on the government to offer political concessions," Haniyeh said.
"The money is being used to undermine the dignity of the Palestinian people, and this will not happen I assure you," he added.
Haniyeh, on the other hand, welcomed national dialogue proposed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas which was postponed till May 15.
"We have always welcomed Palestinian dialogue, but in order to succeed, the dialogue should be well prepared and an agreement on most issues should be achieved," he said.
The EU, the largest international donor to the Palestinian Authority, joined the U.S., Canada and Israel by cutting off direct aid payment to the Hamas-led government because of its refusal to renounce violence and recognize Israel.
