Israel to Deduct Palestinian Money over 'Terror' Payments
Israel said Sunday it would punish Palestinians for the practice of paying militants for attacks by freezing tax payments it collects for the Palestinian Authority.
The amount withheld would balance the amount the PA pays to Palestinian attackers and their families.
The move, approved by the security cabinet of recently appointed Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, was likely to cause a crisis with the PA, who took action against similar measures in the past.
The cabinet was told the PA transferred 597 million shekels ($183 million, 154 million euros) "in indirect support of terrorism in 2020" in the form of payments "to terrorists and their families," Bennett's office said.
"These funds will be frozen on a monthly basis out of the payments that Israel transfers to the Palestinian Authority," the statement added.
Israel collects around $190 million a month in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli ports, and then it transfers the money to the PA.
In February 2019, Israel began withholding around $10 million a month, saying the amount corresponded to what the PA paid to families of Palestinians jailed for attacks against Israelis.
The cut prompted a crisis between Israel and the PA, with the Palestinians refusing to receive all funds for eight months.
Israel alleges the payments to those who have carried out attacks encourage further violence. The PA says the payments are a form of welfare to the families who have lost their main breadwinner.
12 July 2021, 16:42
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"The move was likely to cause a crisis with the PA.
What crisis?
The PA has refused to talk with Israel for 5 years
The crisis is in the PA itself. A "president" whose 4 year term of office which ended over 12 years ago, but refuses to carry out new elections. A "parliament" whose term of office ended years ago but refuse to carry out elections.
These are the crises that the PA faces, not one with Israel.
$183 million paid to indirect support of terrorism in 2020. Can you just imagine what could have been done for the good of the citizens by using $366 million in the right way.
13 July 2021, 02:44
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I have discovered I know what Israel means by "terror". It means "Jewish", as in "Jewish state". When anybody else does anything resembling what Israel does, it regards that as sacrilegious. That is, Israel feels someone is stealing its copyright, its trademark. Any resistance to Israel is as if to say Israel does not have a monopoly on terrorism, that is, the right to exist. Israel should try some law instead. Like Lebanon should get rid of the 50% set-aside of Chamber of Deputies seats for Christians. Injustice is one thing, building it into your government and state is another. Using words duplicitously is the problem. al Rahi says the 50% set-aside is "equality".
13 July 2021, 15:23
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"Terror" is murdering innocent civilians including women and children.
However from your comment it seems that you are in support of this.
