A dilemma over Hamas and its cash

摘要

The world is divided over how to deal with the Palestinian Authority under Hamas. An article this week in the New York Times, alleging that the United States and Israel are hatching a plot to destabilise a Hamas-run Palestinian Authority (PA) by starving it of funds, caused a minor furore-and highlighted divisions over what to do about the Islamist party's resounding victory over the secular Fatah in last month's general election. An American diplomat was quoted as saying that the article was planted mischievously by European diplomats, while a European diplomat suggested it was an Israeli attempt to scare Hamas into moderating its stance.