Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh asserted, on Monday, that his cabinet has recently sought some prospects for solutions to the standoff of Palestinian prisoners’ monthly allowances, created by a recent Israeli decision.
During a weekly cabinet session, held in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Dr. Shtayyeh said that Israel has been launching what he described as a ‘terrifying campaign against Palestinian banks’, by having deducted around 200 million US Dollars from the tax revenues, due for the Palestinian Authority (PA).
He pointed out that Palestinian banks and some other financial institutions are considered to be the backbone of the national Palestinian economy and that any form of Israeli blackmail to those institutions is totally rejected.
“Currently, we are seeking some solutions or ways out of current Israeli blackmail, where Israel has warned Palestinian banks against delivering monthly allowances to families of Palestinian prisoners, in both Gaza and the West Bank.”
He maintained that his cabinet has begun consultations and discussions with representatives of the Palestinian Committee for Prisoners.
Recently, Israeli government has warned Palestinian banks against handing over monthly allowances, deposited by the Palestinian Authority, to families of Palestinian prisoners and those killed or injured by Israeli troops, over the past several decades.
Two years ago, Israel began withholding tax money, collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, under the pretext that parts of those funds support families of those whom Israel term as ‘terrorists’, in reference to Palestinian prisoners.
Noteworthy, Israel, as the occupying power, across Gaza and the West Bank, controls the delivery of many services to the Palestinian population, including electricity, water, imports and exports, as well as banking.
The PA, including Palestinian cabinet, is a part of an autonomous rule for Palestinians, created by the Declaration of Principles, known as the Oslo Peace Accords, signed by Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), back in 1993.
Image: Alshakaba
