Jerusalem: The Israeli Cabinet overwhelmingly approved on Sunday the imposition of a range of sanctions against the Palestinian Authority following the formation of a government led by Hamas.
The sanctions will see Israel halt the payment of customs duties it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, worth around $50 million a month, as well as prevent residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip from crossing into Israel for work.
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert put forward the range of sanctions for approval before the Cabinet after declaring that a government led by Hamas, the landslide winners of a January 25 general election, would be regarded as a terrorist regime.
The new Hamas-dominated Parliament was sworn in on Saturday while Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas is due to hold talks in Gaza later on Sunday to ask Hamas to form a new government.
"It is clear that in light of the Hamas majority in the PLC (Parliament) and the instructions to form a new government that were given to the head of Hamas, the PA (Palestinian Authority) is, in practice, becoming a terrorist authority. The state of Israel will not agree to this," Olmert said at the cabinet.
"As we stated immediately after the PA elections, upon the conclusion of the transitional government, Israel will immediately cease the transfer of funds to the PA," he added.
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