Israel to release frozen tax funds to Abbas

THE Israeli cabinet yesterday approved the release of frozen tax funds to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in a step to bolster the moderate leader in his standoff against the Islamic militant group Hamas.

The vote came a day ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s meeting in Egypt today with Mr Abbas, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

The summit is designed as a high-profile display of support for the Palestinian president against his Hamas rivals, who seized control of the Gaza Strip in a brutal rout of Mr Abbas’ Fatah movement earlier this month.