Hamas warns against PNA financial dues cutoff for Gaza

GAZA, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian deposed Hamas government in Gaza on Wednesday warned against the consequences of possible decision of Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to cutoff financial dues paid for education, health and social welfare services offered to Gaza population.

"Such a step would reinforce the operations of looting and blackmail in the West Bank," Hamas government said in a statement faxed to reporters.

Earlier media reports quoted senior PNA sources as saying that the PNA is seeking to cutoff the financial dues paid for education, health, and social welfare services offered to the Gaza Strip population.

The sources said that the action will be the first tough move against the Hamas movement which banned the travel of 400 Fatah members in Gaza from leaving the strip for the group's sixth congress in Bethlehem.

Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, and routed President Mahmoud Abbas's PNA and security forces. However, the PNA kept paying salaries of 70,000 servants there and kept financing other health and education services.

Chief of Hamas government press office Hassan Abu Hashish said "the threats to cutoff the financial dues are not new, it is a continuation of their manner to fight people in their income and breadwinning."

The PNA receives funds from several Arab and foreign donors to pay salaries of civil servants, security forces as well as for social welfare, health and education services to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza.

"We believe that these donations and funds that Abbas authority is receiving are the right of all the Palestinian people. If they stop it, it means that they are stealing it for themselves," said Abu Hashish.

He added that it is the right of any Palestinian to sue the PNA "in case such a measure is taken."