The government of Qatar transferred a grant of half a million dollars to the residents of the Palestinian Authority-run village of Huwara, and in doing so made a statement about who they want to succeed Mahmoud Abbas. The Secretary General of the PLO, Hussein Al-Sheikh, a contender to succeed the aging Palestinian leader Abu Mazen, and the man Qatar chose to spread their wealth, tweeted throughout the weekend that "the grant is for the residents of the town who were harmed by the crimes of the occupation and its settlers and for the residents' firm stand."
Al-Sheikh handed the grant to the municipality of Huwara on behalf of the government of Qatar and thanked it for its support. On the Facebook page of the municipality of Huwara, a photo was published of Al-Sheikh presenting the Qatari grant in the presence of senior officials of the municipality and those who are responsible on behalf of the Fatah movement for the Nablus district, including Huwara.
The Emir of Qatar has donated 500,000 US dollars to the town of Hawara, near Nablus. pic.twitter.com/IhP0DgqCcx
— Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) March 12, 2023
The municipality published on its Facebook page thanking Hussein Al-Sheikh for his role in strengthening the residents of the town, they also thanked the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, for the grant.
The grants for the protection of Huwara residents from the “crimes of the occupation, come after on February 26, two brothers Hillel and Yigal Yaniv, residents of the Har Bracha Israeli settlement near Huwara, were murdered by a terrorist who carried out a shooting attack on their vehicle. Nine days later, the terrorist, Abdel Fatah Harusha, a Hamas member, was killed in an operation in Jenin. After the murder of the two young Israeli men, Jews came to Huwara and rioted, burning houses and cars in a rogue and criminal activity that has been condemned by the Israeli government.
Since that incident, the Palestinian Authority has been conducting an international propaganda campaign against Israel that includes tours of Huwara for international parties from all across the globe, with the aim of presenting themselves as victims without, of course, mentioning the point-blank shooting and murder that preceded the incident. In fact, the order by PA officials was to turn the charred cars and buildings into an exhibition, allowing the visitors to see the damage as if it was the day after the violent uprising.
#Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani on 13 March committed $500,000 to the #families of the #victims of the recent #rampage in the #town of #Huwara in the #occupied #WestBank #city of #Nablus carried out by #extremist #Israeli #settlers. https://t.co/iCQK00Xnvv
— Salina Reddy (@ReddySalina) March 13, 2023
The Qatari grant has several goals, primarily the stabilization of the Palestinian Authority's rule and the improvement of the public status of Hussein al-Sheikh, who is interested in succeeding Abu Mazen in the position of chairman of the Palestinian Authority. Also, the grant establishes Qatar as the main aid to the Palestinians when, in parallel with the grant to the residents of Huwara, it also continues to transfer financial grants to the Gaza Strip and is home to former and current Hamas leaders.
