Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, ordered the transfer of the first payment of 250 Million New Israeli Shekels to the Palestinian Authority (P.A.) in the West Bank due to the sharp financial crisis the P. A. is facing. The money is Palestinian Tax and customs revenue Israel collects on behalf of P.A. on border terminals leading to the West Bank as the P.A. has no control or even presence on border terminals.
The office of Netanyahu reported that the Prime Minister consulted the Israeli Finance Minister, Yuval Steinitz, on the issue through Netanyahu’s personal envoy Yitzhak Molho.
During a press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart in Jerusalem, on Monday at noon, Netanyahu said that Israel is acting on different levels “to help the P.A. overcome its financial crisis”.
He also said that Israel also implemented a series of measures that would boost the P.A. in the West Bank, and “help Palestinian workers who have work permits in Israel”.
Netanyahu said that Israel hopes that P.A. will be able to overcome its current crisis, adding that the success of the P.A. is a joint Israeli-Palestinian interest.
Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, stated Tuesday that he held talks with Israel in order to ensure the transfer of tax money Israel collects on behalf of P.A.
The Israeli government also sent an urgent letter to the United States and the European Union, demanding them to transfer large amounts of cash to the P.A.
Israel daily, Maariv, reported that the financial situation of the P.A. will top the agenda of the Donor Countries conference that will be held in New York next week.
It is worth mentioning that Prime Minister Fayyad recently sent a letter to Abbas informing him that he will be resigning from his post.
Thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank are holding massive protests due to the sharp increase of living costs and the lack of financial resources. The protesters are also demanding Fayyad to resign.
