Israel suspends Qatar fund transfer to Gaza

Palestinians hold Qatari flags during a demonstration in support of Qatar, in Khan Yunis, Gaza on 14 June 2017 [Ali Jadallah/Anadolu Agency]

Israel suspended a funds transfer from Qatar to Palestinian employees in the besieged Gaza Strip, Israeli TV Channel 20 reported today.

According to the Israeli TV, the government claims that freezing the payment came in response to the firing of rockets from Gaza towards Ashkelon.

Former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman said: “It is shameful that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu had recognised that Israel cannot fund terror against itself.”

He added: “I hope that this decision is not related to the elections and that we will not see Netanyahu renew the flow of money to Hamas after April 9.”

READ: Israel blocks Qatari proposal to build airport in Gaza

The extremist right winger continued: “Anyway, we have to make it clear that the siege will not be facilitate before the release of out soldiers and settlers,” referring to the Israeli soldiers who are being held as prisoners of war in Gaza.

Lieberman resigned from his position as Israel’s defence minister in November following a disagreement over a recently-signed ceasefire with Gaza.

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