RAMALLAH, March 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Mazen Sonoqrot, Palestinian Minister of National Economy, revealed on Monday that the Quartet Committee envoy James Wolfensohn is planning to visit the Palestinian territories on Thursday.

   Sonoqrot told a Palestinian radio that Wolfensohn is likely to use his visit to get a clear picture about the financial crisis that the Palestinians are facing with.

   "I can't talk now about solutions for the financial crisis we are suffering from until we meet with Wolfensohn when he visits in the Palestinian territories on Thursday," said Sonoqrot.

   The Quartet Committee grouping the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia, has been the key Mideast peace brokers.

   Europe, the U.S. and Israel have constantly threatened to cut financial aid and funds to the Palestinians after the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) won the January parliamentary elections.

   The West and Israel have kept asking Hamas, whose charter calls for destruction of Israel, to recognize Israel and renounce violence in return for money inflow.

   Sonoqrot said the major problem is Israel's decision to freeze paying the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) the financial dues that Israel collects from the Palestinian external commerce, which amounted to some 60 million U.S. dollars every month.

   "Israel is not punishing Hamas, Israel and the West are punishing the Palestinian people," said Sonoqrot, adding that he would discuss other issues with Wolfensohn.

   According to Sonoqrot, one of the major issues also to be discussed would be the closure of Karni commercial passage on the borders between eastern Gaza and Israel.

   The Palestinian official warned of a humanitarian catastrophe in the Gaza Strip if Israel keeps closing Karni passage, which is considered the major vein to support people living in the strip with food and medicine, and the only passage for export and import.

   "We would tell Wolfensohn that if Karni crossing is kept shut down, the Palestinian economy would be destroyed," said Sonoqrot. Enditem