Ramallah, West Bank ? Israel froze the transfer of millions of dollars in tax rebates and customs payments to the Palestinian Authority, and Palestinian officials said Wednesday that Saudi Arabia and Qatar have promised $33 million in quick aid to ease a severe budget crisis.

Saudi Arabia promised $20 million and Qatar pledged $13 million to help the Palestinian Authority pay January salaries to 137,000 employees, a senior Palestinian official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was not final.

Earlier, Israel said it was suspending the transfer of $45 million in tax and customs revenues it collected in January while Western nations weigh whether to continue supporting the Palestinian Authority after Hamas, with its history of suicide bombings and rejection of Israel, forms a government.

Western donors, led by the U.S. and EU, funnel about $900 million to the Palestinians each year, most of it designated for reconstruction projects in the impoverished Gaza Strip and West Bank. They are reconsidering that funding, demanding that Hamas recognize Israel and renounce violence.

The 137,000 people on the Palestinian Authority payroll, including almost 60,000 security officers, are supposed to receive their salaries today. Even with promises of new aid, a Palestinian official said the checks would not be ready until Monday at the earliest.

Failure to pay the January salaries could pose the most difficult test yet for Hamas.

Palestinian deputy Finance Minister Jihad al-Wazir, said contacts are in progress with the Israelis and he was hopeful the funds could be transferred in the coming days. He said there also are contacts with world donors.