The Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ministry, on Monday, slammed Israel’s decision to deduct millions of dollars from the Palestinian tax revenues, the Palestinian News and Info Agency (WAFA) reported.
The ministry denounced Israel’s decision to deduct 150 million Israeli shekels ($43 million) from the taxes it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority on goods destined to the Palestinian areas as “an attempt to stigmatize the Palestinian people with terrorism” and as an “act of piracy” and “organized state terrorism”.
“Stealing more funds from the Palestinian people falls under the systematic economic war waged by the Israeli occupation against the Palestinian people,” said the ministry in a statement, adding that it was tantamount to “a desperate attempt to disrupt the domestic stability and the social fabric.”
It added, “Attempts to weaken the Palestinian Authority and its institutions are central to these Israeli schemes.”
Israel said it will freeze $43 million from the tax revenues, which it says is equivalent to the amount the monthly Palestinian allowance given to the families of prisoners and those killed by Israel for resisting its occupation of Palestine.
Photo: Palestine News Network
Edited for IMEMC: Ali Salam
Related: Palestinian PM: Israel Decision to Withhold Tax Revenues “Brings us Back to Square One of the Crisis”
