RAMALLAH, Friday, October 04, 2019 (WAFA) – Chairman of the General Authority of Civil Affairs, Hussein Sheikh, said today that an agreement was reached with the Israeli Minister of Finance, Moshe Kahlon, under which Israel will return part of millions of dollars in Palestinian tax revenues, which Israel has been withholding for nearly eight months.

He said despite the agreement, disputes continue to persist over Israel’s withholding of the amount paid monthly by the Palestinian government to the detainees in Israeli jails and the families of those killed by Israeli forces.

Sheikh added that a set of outstanding issues were discussed during the meeting with the Israeli Finance Minister, and that both sides agreed on activating joint committees to look into all issues as of next Sunday.

Earlier this year, Israel began withholding some of the $200m in monthly tax transfers that the Palestinian government pays to families of people killed or imprisoned by Israel.

The funds withheld are approximately five percent of the total collected on behalf of the PA, but the Palestinians in protest refused to accept any tax revenues from Israel.  

M.N