This uncompassionate triad merrily spends billions on wars and selectively sprinkles largesse to victims of floods, famine or earthquakes; yet it is now engaged in deliberately starving an entire people under occupation. Words cannot describe how deeply immoral this policy truly is.

The US and the EU have cut off aid to the Palestinian people, while Israel refuses to hand over millions of the Palestinian National Authority’s (PNA) own customs duties, which is nothing but downright theft.

Palestinians, outraged by such callous moves, threw eggs at a United Nations office in Gaza. “We were hoping that the Europeans would denounce Israeli atrocities against our people. Unfortunately, they have linked aid to the needy and refugees to political considerations,” said Ghazi Hamid, a PNA spokesman.

At the same time, several banks housing the PNA’s accounts are being leant on to close down those accounts under threat of sanctions for dealing with “a terrorist group."

Eager to put in the boot and grab fistfuls of dollars for themselves are Americans, who say they have lost family members to “terrorist bombs” during visits to Israel. They have filed suits against The Arab Bank, NatWest and Credit Lyonnais for channeling money to Hamas.

I wonder if those litigants were Palestinians claiming similar amounts from banks holding Israel’s accounts, they could make any headway in those same courts. I think we all know the answer to that one.

The war of financial attrition waged on a long-suffering people is paying off. The PNA’s coffers are not only empty it has been left a legacy of $ 1.3 billions debt.

Last Friday, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniye said the resolve of the Palestinian people would not be weakened by such measures.

“We will eat salt but we will not bow our heads for anybody other than God,” he said. Not all Palestinians agree with him.

On Saturday, masked members of the Palestinian Security forces stormed government offices demanding their wages. This was viewed with glee by those whose current mission in life is to bring down Hamas. But they shouldn’t rub their hands together too prematurely.

Russia and Iran have finally stepped up to the plate with offers of emergency funds. Good for them! Iran has offered $50 million, while Russia hasn’t specified an amount.

The question now is where is the promised Arab aid? It is true that Arab governments made a number of pledges to help the PNA at a summit in Khartoum last month, but where is the cash? The one bank ready to accept donations -- Misr International Bank -- is still waiting.

Isn’t it time for wealthy Arab states to put their money where their mouth is? The Arab world has rightly supported the Palestinian cause for decades, both morally and financially, so, surely, faced with the current crisis, they should be the ones to dig deep into their pockets and show the Israel-US-EU axis that Arabs can look after their own when push comes to shove. If Russia and Iran are willing to put their heads above the parapet then why don’t they? One may speculate that Arab nations are coming under pressure from the US to adopt a “let them eat salt” policy. If this is the case, then Arabs must make a principled and united stand. After all, it is partly Arab funds and investments that prop up the US economy. Conservative estimates put these at trillions of dollars. It’s time for the piper to play the tune.

This isn’t about supporting Hamas or approving of its policies. The issue is a humanitarian one. Like it or not, the Palestinian people voted overwhelmingly for Hamas to lead them, and so far, the group has behaved responsibly, maintained a yearlong cease-fire and, until Monday in the wake of the suicide bombing in Tel Aviv, avoided inflammatory rhetoric.

But this isn’t good enough for the pro-Israel axis. They want Hamas to recognize the State of Israel and disarm, even as Palestinians are being killed and humiliated by the occupiers almost daily and Israel continues with its policy of extra-judicial assassinations.

For their part, Hamas leaders are asking for a chance to prove that they can be partners for peace.

Writing in the Guardian, Ismail Haniye made this appeal: “We in Hamas are for peace and want to put an end to bloodshed.

“The message from Hamas and the Palestinian Authority to the world powers is this: Talk to us no more about recognizing Israel’s ‘right to exist’ or ending resistance until you obtain a commitment from the Israelis to withdraw from our land and recognize our rights."

The above are hardly the words of a bloodthirsty terrorist out for revenge.

Haniye’s words are destined to go unheeded. The “axis” has already made up its mind about Hamas and it is out to crush the party no matter how much harm and suffering they heap upon ordinary Palestinians in so doing. Mothers without bread to feed their children are just collateral damage as far as Israeli leaders and their Western pals are concerned. The fact is the last thing Israel wants is a partner for peace as this would entail giving up land. The new Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has already undertaken to unilaterally delineate Israel’s permanent borders in 2010, which would leave Palestinians with just 12 percent of the historic Palestine in noncontiguous chunks. Olmert is already threatening the reoccupation of Gaza.

If the Israeli leadership truly did want a peace partner, it would be actively wooing Hamas because Hamas has the backing and the trust of the Palestinian people and is, therefore, in a position to deliver the goods.

The then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat said this to a joint meeting of the US House and Senate as long ago as 1975.

“I urge you, in the most emphatic term, to lend the Palestinian people your understanding and support. Help them to overcome despair and frustration. The continuation of neglect and defiance is but an open invitation to violence, negativism and extremism.”

“Of almost all nations, the United States remains as the sole dissenter in the long over-due trend of establishing contacts with the Palestinians. Contacts bring understanding. Understanding helps develop solutions.”

As we now know those words of wisdom were wasted on deaf ears.

Linda S. Heard is a British specialist writer on Middle East affairs. She welcomes feedback and can be contacted by email at heardonthegrapevines@yahoo.co.uk.