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Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/650608.html
Palestinian Election Economics
(Ha'aretz) Danny Rubinstein - The PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida reports that Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayad, considered a top professional, resigned because Interior Minister Nasser Yousef added another 2,500 Fatah militants to the security services, with the approval of Mahmoud Abbas, and plans to add another few thousand Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists in the near future. Adding thousands of people to the security services would be a budgetary burden on the Palestinian treasury, and Fayad would not stand for it. However, senior Palestinian officials explain that putting thousands of militants into the security services is the only way Abbas can obtain calm. In addition, in the last few weeks, the PA has given senior Palestinian officials higher ranks and bonuses. Some refer to this as "election economics." Abbas and his Fatah people want to win voters' hearts in the upcoming elections. Palestinian election economics also includes the approval Abbas has recently given for building plans and for development projects by municipal and village councils. More than once, the Palestinian Finance Ministry has been bypassed as the projects get approved.