Israel prepares to freeze tax funds for Palestine

According to a report by the Israel-based newspaper The Jerusalem Post, Smotrich stated in a letter he sent to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today that the Ministry of Finance would not provide funds to the Palestinian Authority this month.

Arguing that the reason for this step is the Palestinian Authority's "failure to distance itself from the actions" of Hamas, Smotrich claimed that, on the contrary, the Palestinian Authority has "expressed support for the action" of Hamas and has been making efforts against Israel at the International Criminal Court.

The Finance Minister further alleged that by supporting those who carried out the action, the Palestinian Authority has proven that "tax funds are being used to finance activities against the State of Israel and its citizens."

Noting that they cannot act as if nothing has happened, Smotrich stated, "I would like to state that I have instructed the Ministry of Finance to freeze the transfer of funds this month."

In accordance with the Paris Economic Protocol signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1994, the Israeli administration collects taxes on behalf of the Palestinian Authority at the border crossings under its control and transfers the approximately 190 million dollars it collects monthly to the Palestinian treasury.

The Israeli administration has been making deductions from the taxes it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority for about 2 years, and the Palestinian government has been unable to pay civil servant salaries in full since November 2021.

News Source: 12punto