Palestinian Authority freezes Islamic charity accounts

[kramadas]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/08/28/mideast/index.html

Palestinian Authority freezes Islamic charity accounts

Thursday, August 28, 2003 Posted: 10:46 AM EDT (1446 GMT)

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- The Palestinian Authority has frozen the bank accounts of Islamic charities, according to an authority official, prompting hundreds of Palestinians to pour into the streets Thursday in protest.

Many of the demonstrators -- including women and children -- said they learned the accounts were frozen when they went to banks to collect welfare payments from the charities.

A Palestinian Authority official confirmed to CNN that the accounts of the organizations had been frozen although there has been no public announcement of the move.

Many of the organizations are affiliated with Palestinian groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which have claimed responsibility for deadly terror attacks on Israeli targets.

The authority has been under growing pressure to crack down on Palestinian militant groups after the groups announced an end to their self-declared cease-fire last week. The announcement followed the stepping-up of Israeli targeted killings of Hamas leaders after a terrorist Jerusalem bus bombing that killed at least 21 people.

Hamas and Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The demonstrators in Gaza also blamed U.S. President George W. Bush, saying he had forced the Palestinian Authority to freeze the accounts.

Mohammed Dahlan, the Palestinian internal security chief, said the accounts of 39 charities, most of them administered by Hamas, had been frozen.

He said three of the organizations were administered by Islamic Jihad.

The organizations not only provide cash payments to the poor but also make available a range of services such as schools, orphanages and hospitals.

Dahlan said the Palestinian Authority will form a committee with representatives of the Social Affairs, Finance and Interior ministries to distribute the money from the frozen accounts.

There was no immediate comment from Hamas officials.

The United States has been pressing the Palestinian Authority to fulfill its obligations under the so-called road map for Mideast peace, backed by the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union.

The peace plan, which Israel and the Palestinian Authority have agreed to, aims to end the violence and establish an independent Palestinian state by 2005.

Palestinian security officials, meanwhile, detained several Hamas members in northern Gaza that they accused of firing a Qassam rocket Thursday into an industrial area of Askelon, Israel, according to Palestinian officials. There were no injuries or damage from the rocket, which fell in an open area, according to Israeli officials.

In addition, the Palestinian Authority recently blocked off tunnels leading from Egypt to Gaza in an effort to stem the flow of arms to Palestinian militant groups. Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat on Wednesday called on Palestinian factions to commit to a cease-fire on Israeli targets. (Full story)

Riots in Nablus

In the West Bank city of Nablus, rioting broke out Thursday when Israeli forces attempted to enforce a curfew on parts of the city, Israeli and Palestinian sources said.

The Palestine Red Crescent Society said at least 12 people were taken to hospitals after they were wounded in the fighting.

Palestinian sources said the Israeli troops moved in after several businesses in central Nablus attempted to open in violation of the curfew.

The Israeli army said curfews were imposed in parts of Nablus as well as the Balata refugee camp.

An army spokesman said rioters threw at least two explosive devices at Israeli troops, who then opened fire.

In addition, rioters tossed Molotov cocktails and stones at the troops, the army said. The troops responded using "crowd dispersal methods," the spokesman said.

In Balata, witnesses said Israeli troops were going house-to-house, in some cases blowing down doors, and conducting searches.