RAMALLAH, Tuesday, January 9, 2024 (WAFA) - Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Monday that the issue of PA tax funds withheld by Israel remains unchanged, despite the intervention of US President, Joe Biden, his National Security Advisor Jack Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and several world leaders.
Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, which was dedicated to discussing the repercussions of Israel’s genocide and ethnic cleansing war against the people in the Gaza Strip, which has entered its fourth month, in addition to the continuing attacks by the occupation soldiers and colonists in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and ways to stop them in light of the continuing commission of horrific massacres that led to hundreds of casualties daily; the majority of whom are children, women and elderly.
The Cabinet also discussed the implications of Israel's withholding of the PA tax funds on the government's ability to meet its commitments toward employees’ salaries and the delivery of public services, while reaffirming the Government's quest to work actively for a continuous provision of services and seek ways to ensure the payment of salaries for employees in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip with what it is available in the government’s treasury, pending a solution for Israel’s actions of unjust deductions of PA money, through which it seeks political goals aimed at separating the Gaza territory geographically from the independent Palestinian state, within the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its borders.
He stressed that Israel continues to reject the US administration's proposal to allow Norway to transfer tax revenues to the PA, even though it was accepted by the PA.
The prime minister noted that Israel deducted last month 517 million Shekels from the tax revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, which amounted to 750 million shekels.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has refused to accept the reduced clearance fund after a decision by the Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, known for his hatred of the Palestinians, to deduct the money the PA allocates for services in the Gaza Strip from the monthly tax revenues Israel collects on behalf of the PA.
The cabinet also discussed efforts to break the current deadlock on the issue of tax revenues withheld by Israel, which he stressed is currently the key issue on the Cabinet’s agenda.
Shtayyeh also stressed that Israel will appear on Thursday before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague over its genocide crimes in Gaza.
The Cabinet also declared that it is in a state of emergency and is working consistently on the preparation of budgets and government activities for the year 2024 as required by the circumstances to ensure the continued provision of services to citizens.
T.R.
