ISRAEL ON WEDNESDAY ACCEPTED A DECISION BY MAJOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE BROKERS TO RESUME AID PAYMENTS TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY -- A MOVE THAT COULD EASE THE INTENSE ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON THE HAMAS-LED GOVERNMENT. THE AUTHORITY RELIES HUGELY ON FOREIGN AID TO PAY PUBLIC SECTOR SALARIES AND RUN HEALTH AND WELFARE SERVICES, AND THE POWERS DECIDED RELUCTANTLY ON TUESDAY THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER WAY TO STAVE OFF A POSSIBLE COLLAPSE INTO ANARCHY. "AS FAR AS WE ARE CONCERNED, THE QUARTET'S DECISION TO GIVE FURTHER HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY, BYPASSING THE HAMAS GOVERNMENT, IS DEFINITELY OKAY," ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTER TZIPI LIVNI SAID ON ISRAELI ARMY RADIO. THE MIDDLE EAST PEACEMAKING QUARTET AGREED THAT AID PAYMENTS WOULD BE RESUMED FOR A THREE-MONTH TRIAL PERIOD, THROUGH A "TRANSPARENT" MECHANISM THAT HAS YET TO BE WORKED OUT. IT IS EXPECTED THAT SALARIES TO THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY'S 165,000 EMPLOYEES, UNPAID SINCE MARCH, WILL BE PAID. THE MONTHLY WAGE BILL TOTALS AROUND $150 MILLION. "IF YOU NEED A HOSPITAL TO BE RUN, AND SOMEONE HAS TO BE PAID, HE WILL BE PAID," EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF JAVIER SOLANA SAID AFTER THE INITIATIVE WAS ANNOUNCED.
