Israel pleads with the EU to fund Gaza’s reconstruction before Hamas does. According to Livni, if Fatah receives European money for Gaza, it could somehow re-establish its rule there. Livni’s plan fails on several counts.
Fatah just doesn’t want control of Gaza, which is drastically different from the affluent and relatively orderly West Bank.
Even if Abbas gets the money, Hamas would control its distribution and tax the contractors and workers.
Abbas would steal the money rather than transfer it to Gaza.
Hamas doesn’t need money from Europeans or from Abbas. While Abbas pockets the grants, Iran will finance Gaza reconstruction just as it financed the reconstruction of Lebanon three years ago. By withholding money from Hamas, Livni only clears the field for Iran.
Iran buys Gaza on the cheap. The family of each Gazan dead will receive 1,000 euro; for each wounded, €500, and €4,000 per destroyed house. For an investment of less than $10 million, Iran nurtured massive goodwill among Gazans.
