RAMALLAH, Friday, February 22, 2019 (WAFA) – The Palestinian government’s efforts to offset the recent the deduction by Israel of $138 million from the Palestinian tax revenues dominated the front page headlines in Palestinian dailies.
The dailies reported Minister of Finance and Planning Shukri Bishara stating that the government will continue the timely payment of public servants’ salaries for the coming months, but a minor reduction could be applied to the monthly payroll.
He was also reported in al-Hayat al-Jadida announcing that the government would not raise taxes to offset the tax revenues deductions.
Foreign and Expatriates Minister Riyad al-Maliki was also reported in al-Hayat stating that the Palestinian leadership is slated to determine which courts shall be competent to sue Israel over withholding the tax revenues.
Israel has recently deducted $138 million from the tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.
Elaborating on the same issue, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida reported Deputy Chairman of Fatah Movement Mahmoud Aloul stating that the Palestinian leadership is slated to take a series of steps to “confront the Israeli piracy of Palestinian money”.
Al-Ayyam reported him explaining that the steps include a ban on the entry of Israeli products for which there are Palestinian alternative products to the Palestinian territories.
Yet, al-Ayyam reported the Agriculture Ministry announcing that they have taken necessary steps to confront the possible spread of locust swarms to the Palestinian territories.
On the other hand, al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida opted to spotlight fresh Israeli attacks against Palestinian students in Hebron.
They said that Israeli forces and settlers attacked students of an elementary school in the Old City of Hebron, causing 30 students to suffer tear gas suffocation.
They also reported that Israeli settlers threw rocks at a Palestinian high school in Urif village, south of Nablus.
Highlighting other settlers’ attacks, they reported that settlers punctured the tires of several Palestinian vehicles in Ras Karkar and al-Janiya villages, west of Ramallah.
Spotlighting the situation in Gaza, al-Quds reported that Israeli naval boats attacked Palestinian fishermen while sailing off the coast of Khan Younes in the southern besieged Gaza Strip, injuring three.
It added that Israeli forces attacked dozens of Palestinian protestors taking part in a rally, east of Rafah, injuring four.
According to al-Quds, Caretaker Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah briefed Uruguay’s Ambassador to Palestine Jorge Casinelli and Indi’s Ambassador to Palestine Sunil Kumar on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena.
Furthermore, the dailies highlighted escalating tensions inside Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and renewed protests against the closure of Bab al-Rahmeh area inside the complex.
Al-Quds reported Palestinian factions warning: “Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is a red line.”
Al-Quds and al-Ayyam added that Palestinians held on a large-scale the night prayers (Salat-Ul-Isha) at al-Rahmeh Gate inside the holy site.
Moreover, the dailies highlighted Secretary-General of Fatah Central Committee Jibril Rajoub’s meetings with Egyptian officials in Cairo.
Al-Quds and al-Hayat al-Jadida said that Rajoub briefed Egypt’s foreign minister Sameh Shoukry and Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmad Abu al-Gheit on the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people and holy sites.
Rajoub was reported in al-Ayyam stating that there was no justification for the ongoing “abduction” of Gaza and in al-Hayat al-Jadida saying: “We face an unprecedented Israeli escalation in terms of settlement construction and terrorism ]against the Palestinian people[.”
Besides, Secretary-General of the PLO’s Executive Committee Saeb Erekat was reported in al-Quds stating the recent US and Israeli decisions against the Palestinian people fall within the ongoing implementation of US President Donald Trump’s Mideast plan, dubbed deal of the century.
K.F.
