Defense Minister Ehud Barak agreed on Wednesday to transfer 25 million dollars to the Gaza Strip from banks in the West Bank. Barak's decision came after special appeals to him from both Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Bank of Israel Governor Stanley Fischer to help ease the shortages of cash in the Gaza Strip. Right-wing faction Yisrael Beiteinu criticized the decision, saying that the NIS 100 million being transferred to Gaza will be returned to Israel in the form of 100,000 Qassams. 12/10/08