Funding the Palestinian Authority: How Do You Ensure You Don't Fund Terrorism?

This is a major quandry. With Hamas holding the majority of the seats in the government, how does the international community continue to provide funding and not support terrorism? I just don't see any way.

As American and European diplomats gathered in London today to discuss Hamas's recent victory in Palestinian elections, a senior member of the group called today for a continuation of foreign aid to the Palestinian government.

"We call on you to continue moral and financial support, and to direct all aid to the Palestinian treasury so it can be used in keeping with the priorities of the Palestinian people," said Ismail Haniyah, one of the most prominent members of Hamas in Gaza, according to news agencies.

But the early indications were not hopeful for Hamas, which won a landslide victory in last week's parliamentary elections but may take over a nearly bankrupt state. The Palestinian Authority has depended heavily on aid from the European Union and the United States, along with tax revenues collected and delivered by Israel.

All those sources of funds are now imperiled, as the countries involved have recoiled from giving assistance to a government led by a party they regard as a terrorist group.

The problem with Fatah was corruption. The vote for Hamas was apparently a reaction to that corruption. But, it also has the appearance of wide spread support for a terrorist organization.

Will Hamas change its MO? I'm not certain they will, and I'm not certain that they should be trusted even if they say they will.

The problem comes to where will they get their funding? If the world stops paying them their welfare checks, will that cause further alienation and more support for the terrorists?