Israel to keep freeze on Palestinian tax revenue in place
Israel has reportedly decided to continue its freeze on the Palestinian Authority’s tax revenues as a punitive measure over its attempts to join the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave orders to withhold some USD100 million the PA was supposed to receive in tax revenues for January, the Israeli daily, Hayom reported.
Tel Aviv has prevented the transfer of Palestinian tax incomes since last December in response to the PA’s application to join the ICC. The halt involves 127 million dollars worth of value-added tax (VAT) and customs duties on Palestinian goods that pass through Israel.
The paper added that Tel Aviv would continue the sanctions until the "completion" of Israel's punitive procedures against the Palestinians' ICC push.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas signed the request to join the ICC after the United Nations Security Council rejected a Palestinian proposal for statehood on December 30, 2014. The Palestinians have requested to join the Hague-based court in order to bring war crime charges against Israel.
Israel has launched three wars on Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip since 2008. During the latest military aggression against Gaza last summer, the Israeli military killed over 2,140 Palestinians and destroyed thousands of homes.
In 2012, following a UN vote acknowledging Palestine as a non-member state, Tel Aviv again delayed payments to Palestinians.
After foreign aid is deducted, tax revenues account for around two-thirds of the Palestinian Authority's yearly budget.
SF/GHN/HMV
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