Olmert offers to free $100 million for Palestinians

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel is willing to transfer $100 million to Palestinians for humanitarian needs, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokeswoman said Saturday night after Olmert met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

However, Miri Eisin told CNN the money will be released only if a way is found to transfer the now-frozen funds directly to Palestinians -- without going through the Hamas-led government.

"The international community was the one that defined clearly that the money could not go through that government. We want it to arrive at hospitals -- for medical supplies, for the different things that are needed to alleviate the Palestinian suffering," Eisin said. (Watch Eisin discuss what happened in the meeting )

The $100 million is only part of the revenue from tax rebates and other sources that Israel froze after the Islamic militant group Hamas came to power in March. The European Union and the United States have designated Hamas a terrorist group for its goal to destroy Israel.

In a statement released by Olmert's office early Sunday, the summit was described as a step in reviving the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, which broke down in September 2000.

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Great - give them more money to buy rockets. I hope this money goes to the good of the Palestinian people, but somehow I doubt it. Let's keep our fingers crossed.