Sen. Barack Obama explains why he's running for president to an audience in Elkhart, Ind., yesterday

A Wall Street Journal report brushed off concerns about contributions of more than $30,000 to Sen. Barack Obama campaign from three brothers in Gaza, but the newspaper's readers weren't swallowing the explanation.

WND reported Obama's campaign admitted to receiving $33,500 in illegal foreign contributions from three brothers in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and reported the left-wing Daily Kos website suggesting WND – whose Jerusalem bureau chief Aaron Klein investigated the story – might have concocted a convoluted scheme to make the Illinois senator look bad.

The WSJ report from Glenn R. Simpson sadi the donations came in between Sept. 20 and Dec. 6 and virtually all of the money was returned by Dec. 6. But the refunds weren’t reported to the Federal Election Commission due to a technical error, campaign officials told the paper.

However, the newspaper's comments page, following a supportive comment signed Obama '08, was flooded with skepticism. That first comment was: "That's why Obama is ethical and why both of his administrations will start a new chapter in honesty and hope for the American people (and world citizens)."

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Other readers said:

• "I wonder why these guys are supporting Obama and not McCain… Maybe they know something that we don't," said an anonymous forum participant.
  
  
• "Living in a refugee camp saving $3,3500.00 (sic) donating it to BO is an act of hero, that has never [been] seen in human history!"
  
  
• "We need to figure out where this money ACTUALLY came from. I am guessing that someone living in a refugee camp does not have such $$ laying around. … This is a red flag that warrants further investigation."
  
  
• "Well that's very Clintonian of you Mr. Obama … Seems to me I read in some other story just yesterday that some reporter had interviewed one of these mugs on the phone and there was no mention of any $$$ being returned… Hmmmm."
  
  
• "The average wage in the Gaza Strip is $416 a month. … This begs the question: Who really funded this contribution?"
  
  
• "Why do a bunch of terrorists need Obama T-shirts?"
  
  
• "I fear this is just the tip of the iceberg. What about all those donations that can be traced to Iran and Saudi Arabia? This needs to be investigated."
  
  
• "Are you sure the Obama campaign returned the donations?"

The brothers in question – Monir, Hosan and Osama Edwan – spoke on the record with WND about the online donations to the presidential candidate.

WND spoke to the brothers after Obama's campaign contended it returned the $33,500 in illegal contributions, but the donors said they have not received any money.

Last week, the blog Atlas Shrugs outlined the series of donations made on Obama's official website last year by Monir Edwan and Hosam Edwan, totaling $29,521.54. The third brother, Osama, reportedly gave the campaign about $4,000.

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