The Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs has said that there have been no developments with regards to the tax revenues withheld by Israel. Hussein Al-Sheikh explained that the action by Tel Aviv amounts to deducting the value of the stipends paid by the Palestinian Authority to prisoners held in Israel, as well as the families of those killed in attacks against Israelis

Speaking to Radio Palestine, Al-Sheikh pointed out that the PA rejected all of the suggestions put forward by Israel to solve the crisis during a recent meeting with Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon. The PA, he said, has categorically rejected all proposals to receive the revenues “incomplete”, because Israel has “no right” to withhold the money due to the Palestinians.

“The Israelis have proposed a number of unacceptable ideas to solve the Palestinian tax revenues crisis,” said the PA Minister, “all of which were negative because they are net of these deductions, something which is rejected politically, financially and nationally.”

Al-Sheikh added that the Palestinians have demanded a freeze on the Israeli government’s decision to change the law on withholding tax revenues. Kahlon, he said, has asked for time to review the request, until the formation of the new government following the General Election in Israel last month. The PA official has met with Kahlon twice within a month, at the request of the Israelis.

 

Source: Middle East Monitor