RAMALLAH, July 8, 2025 (WAFA) - During the weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa reaffirmed the longstanding Palestinian position, reiterated by President Mahmoud Abbas, that the establishment of a Palestinian state requires cooperation under a single political and security system, alongside unified national institutions.
He emphasized that only through such unity can humanitarian aid effectively reach the people of Gaza and reconstruction efforts commence, ultimately leading to the realization of the long-awaited independent Palestinian state.
The Prime Minister underscored that Israel is actively combating this vision by mobilizing all its institutions and agencies to weaken the Palestinian Authority and enforce a financial blockade aimed at preventing it from fulfilling its responsibilities toward our people in Gaza. Additionally, Israel seeks to block the creation of a Palestinian state, despite widespread international consensus in its favor.
He emphasized that the Israeli plan will not succeed, underscoring the resilience of the Palestinian people and their steadfast determination to fulfill their national responsibilities with unwavering strength and resolve.
The Prime Minister noted that with the growing likelihood of a near ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the government hopes for swift success in these efforts, while emphasizing that preparations are underway to coordinate relief operations and organize a reconstruction conference.
He stated that, concurrently, the government operations room, which includes approximately 40 governmental institutions and international relief agencies, is continuing its preparations to sustain humanitarian efforts and execute the early recovery plans that have been developed, mirroring the work carried out by our teams during the previous ceasefire.
The Prime Minister provided an update on the financial situation, stating that the Israeli side informed them of the clearance revenue for the past two months after deductions. For May, the clearance revenue, which has not yet been transferred, amounted to approximately 844 million shekels. However, Israel withheld 275 million shekels as political leverage due to the government's allocation of funds for Gaza. Additionally, around 220 million shekels were deducted, which corresponds to the allowances paid by the Palestinian Authority to the families of martyrs and detainees, as well as for essential services such as water, electricity, and healthcare. The total deductions for May amounted to 443 million shekels, leaving a net balance of about 400 million shekels, which has yet to be transferred.
As for June, the Prime Minister stated that the total clearance revenue amounted to 960 million shekels, but 471 million shekels were deducted. Of this, 275 million shekels were withheld, citing the allocation of funds to Gaza salaries, while the remaining deductions were for other services. This left approximately 490 million shekels, which have yet to be transferred.
The Prime Minister further stated that, after all deductions, approximately 890 million shekels remain for the past two months, and the government is awaiting their transfer. He also highlighted that this is not the only outstanding amount, as Israel still owes around 8.2 billion shekels due to previous deductions.
He emphasized that efforts to resolve this issue are ongoing through diplomatic, legal, and all available channels. However, the measures implemented thus far have been technical and procedural within the government’s scope, whereas it is evident that these actions are politically driven and necessitate political responses.
Mustafa emphasized that the situation is untenable and unprecedented, potentially requiring exceptional measures, and insisted that this message must be heard by all, as the government will no longer remain passive.
T.R.
