RAMALLAH, March 6, 2018 (WAFA) –  Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) slammed Israel’s policy of withholding the Palestinian Authority’s funds as a piracy, a theft of Palestinian money and a flagrant violation of all signed agreements, said on Tuesday.

Majdalani said in a statement that the Israeli parliament (Knesset’s) approval of the first reading of a bill that would see Israel deduct the allowances of the families of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and those who were killed or injured by Israeli forces, contradicts with Israel’s commitments in accordance with the Oslo agreements.

He stressed that Israel is obligated to transfer funds to the Palestinian authority unconditionally.

The PLO official said the bill clearly contradicts with Israel’s obligations under international agreements; stressing that tax money deducted by Israel on behalf of the PA belongs to the Palestinian people and is not a donation from Israel.

Majdalani added that the normal situation requires Israel to compensate Palestinians for the physical, emotional and economical abuse and loss over its years of occupation, stressing that the Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation is legal according to the international law.

He added that this bill comes as part of the escalating and dangerous policies carried out by Israel’s extremist right-wing government against the Palestinian people with an aim to oppress Palestinians, consolidate the Israeli occupation, and prevent any future political settlement.

He called to reconsider the mechanism of collecting tax revenues in order to disengage from the Israeli side, pointing out that the Paris agreement and all other agreements of the interim period are no longer valid and must be annulled.

K.T./T.R.