The Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad, announced that Saudi Arabia will transfer US$200 million to the Palestinian Authority. Fayyad said he received a phone call from the Saudi Finance Minister, Ibrahim al-Assaf, on Monday evening telling him that Prince Abdallah has ordered the transfer. Fayyad expressed the PLO’s gratitude for the decision, which he views as an extension of the Saudi support to the Palestinian people. The Palestinian Authority is currently suffering from a severe financial crisis.