PA and Hamas argue, Gazans suffer, Israel helps, media clueless

Earlier this week there was a dispute between the PA and Hamas about the price of cooking and domestic gas that Israel pumps into Gaza.

A dispute between Gaza's Ministry of Finance and the Palestinian Authority's General Directorate of Petroleum has led to a gas shortage in the coastal territory, local unions said Tuesday.

The petroleum directorate has allegedly refused to provide gas stations with fuel to protest a four-shekel ($1) tax imposed by the finance ministry on every 12-kilogram gas container, head of the union of gas station owners Mahmoud al-Shawwa said.

As a result, Gazans could not get cooking gas (which many also use for their converted cars and heaters.)

The crisis escalated until an agreement on Thursday.

Normally, Israel closes Kerem Shalom on Fridays, which would mean that the Fatah/Hamas dispute would hurt Gazans all winter weekend without domestic gas.

But on the same day that the PA announces that they will be stopping security coordination with Israel, Israel announced that it will open Kerem Shalom on Friday for the pumping of cooking gas and diesel.

Once again, Israel shows that it cares more about the welfare of people in Gaza than Hamas or the PA. An once again, a story like this will never be covered by the mainstream media.

(Yes, I hear the snickering, and I am serious.)