RAMALLAH, Tuesday, February 12, 2019 (WAFA) - The Palestinian cabinet condemned the Israeli intention to deduct ‘welfare funds‘ from Palestinian tax revenues, and confirmed its boycott for the so-called "Warsaw conference".

The cabinet in a statement after its weekly meeting held in Ramallah and headed by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah reviewed the government financial performance for the period 2013-2018, evaluates the Government Budget for 2018 and the main features of the general budget draft for 2019, slammed settler militias’ attacks against defenseless Palestinian civilians.

The Cabinet, according to the statement:

·         Reiterated its strong condemnations of Israel, the Occupying Power, for its intention to deduct the allocations of prisoners and martyrs families from the Palestinian tax funds. The Cabinet stressed that this Israeli piracy, carried out in coordination with the Trump administration, is a clear attempt to pressure the Palestinian leadership and a continuation for the practices and crimes of the Israeli occupation to prevent the establishment of an independent, sovereign State of Palestine on the borders of June 4, 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. The Cabinet emphasized, "The Israeli occupation is only an occupying power and does not possess any sovereignty. Therefore, the international community must stop its crimes, hold it accountable, and end its occupation of our land and resources," pointing out that "the tax revenues money is Palestinian money that belongs to the public treasury and the Palestinian people. This Israeli move is an act of piracy and a breach of the signed agreements, especially the Paris Economic Protocol."

·         Reviewed the 2019 Draft of the Government budget and the possible scenarios that can be prepared and developed if any financial conditions change, especially the Israeli deduction from the Palestinian tax funds. The Government reaffirmed "the Palestinian leadership, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, previously announced its rejection for any American aid. Today, we confirm our refusal to succumb to bargaining and blackmail. We are committed to providing a decent life for prisoners and martyrs families, and we will appeal to international courts and institutions, and take all legal, judicial and diplomatic measures to address this attack on our public money." In this context, the Cabinet discussed possible ways to finance the completion of infrastructure projects after the American decision to halt financial aids earmarked for these projects. In addition, the cabinet stressed the need to demand the Palestinian financial rights from Israel and renegotiate many economic issues including, the Paris Economic Protocol, rationalization of medical transfers, energy, water, and sewage expenses. 

·         Condemned strongly the escalation of terrorist settler militias against Palestinian civilians, land, sanctities, and properties. "These terrorist attacks against defenseless Palestinian citizens in Hebron, Ramallah, and Bethlehem and wide calls for killing President Abbas, come in conjunction with large-scale displacements of the indigenous Palestinian owners of the land." The Government stressed, "The aggression of Israeli settler militias pushes the situation into further deterioration, and drags the region into more violence, and implements directions and policies of the extremist right wing government of Israel that aim to annex and Judaize the so-called "Area C" and Occupied East Jerusalem. Such actions reaffirm that the Israeli Government continues to undermine peace prospects for the two-state solution and prevents the establishment of a viable, sovereign State of Palestine."

·         Confirmed the position of the Palestinian leadership to boycott the so-called "Warsaw conference" through which the US administration aims to push the participating countries to adopt the stance of the US administration on raised issues of the conference, specifically the Palestinian issue in order to pass the so-called "Deal of the Century." The Government stated, "Not a single peace plan will succeed without the Palestinian presence and agreement. Such conferences and contacts with various parties, whether European or Arab, will not change the fact that there is no peace without the establishment of an independent State of Palestine on the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital." The Cabinet stressed that any plan aimed at circumventing the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), which is the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian citizens all over the world will fail. "The International community, especially the US Administration, must compel Israel to abandon its occupation of our land. Israel must recognize the right of Palestinian citizens to realize their national sovereignty on the land of an independent State of Palestine, and resolve the refugees‘ issue in accordance with the UN General Assembly Resolution No. 194 and release our prisoners from Israeli prisons." 

T.R.