Hamas PM channelled Saudi funds to militants: Israel

AFP, April, 2007

JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli security sources on Sunday accused Palestinian prime minister and Hamas leader Ismail Haniya of funnelling one million dollars given to him by a Saudi donor to the movement's armed wing.

Hamas rejected the charge as unfounded and aimed at discrediting the radical Islamist movement.

"He received several million dollars from a Saudi donor and transferred one million dollars to the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades," the military wing of the Islamist Hamas movement, a senior Israeli security source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"Ismail Haniya himself authorized the transfer of this money to a terrorist cell two days before the new Palestinian unity government was sworn in" on March 17, the source added, without specifying how the...