DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- Palestinian territories would be quickly plunged into chaos if Israel and international donors cut financial ties, envoy James Wolfensohn warned Friday.
The statement was pegged on what comes next in the international community after the surprise Palestinian parliamentary win by Hamas, the Financial Times said. Hamas has steadfastly refused to recognize Israel in the past.
"The crunch time is next week," Wolfensohn, former head of the World Bank, said during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "The Palestinians are basically bankrupt."
He said there was no money to pay salaries of Palestinian security forces or civil servants, adding, "If you do not have the money to pay 135,000 Palestinians you are going to have chaos."
His comments came as Robert Zoellick, the U.S. deputy secretary of state, urged the international community to turn up the pressure on Iran over its nuclear program as a way of reassuring Israel the world takes its security needs seriously.
