Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz announced today that his government will stop all transfers of cash owed to the Palestinian Authority, starting with $89 million in funds they were due to send in the next week.
The move came in the wake of Israeli threats to stop transfers as punishment for the reconciliation deal reached last month between Fatah and Hamas. Steinitz said that the “burden of proof” was on the Palestinians to prove that any money wouldn’t be used for terror.
Under current agreements, the Israeli government collects a number of taxes for the PA and is supposed to transfer them regularly. In practice, this cash has been withheld whenever Israeli officials objected to internal policy moves.
US congressmen also suggested last week that they may withhold aid to the Palestinian Authority as retaliation for “shunning peace talks.” The US-brokered talks actually ended in September, when the Israeli government restarted settlement expansion. Israeli officials had repeatedly suggested new talks were “impossible” long before the reconciliation.
Lets end all Foreign Aid untill the whole Mideast garbage is settled NO MORE $$$$$$$$$
Israel didnt win the divide and Conquer of the Palistinians two enclaves so instead of giving them their money they are going to STEAL it.
If only we had the political will to stop sending money to Israel with the demand that the Israelis prove they won't use our money for committing crimes against the Palestinians.
I guess the Israel's are pretty tight with money….I wish the U.S. would be just as tight with our foreign aid.
JK
Exactly the US needs to stop supporting countrys with larg am,ounts of money when it is money they don't have to give after all the dummys are bankrupting the US they now owe 14 Trillion thats Trillions more than any country on earth has ever owed don't now how many more Trillions but thats not all they are 70 trillion dollars in dept with promised and civil dutys like social securety.Bin Laden died witch is good buit people that think he masterminded the 9/11 attacks need to read the facts of what actually happend when done you will be 100 percent sure it was done by people that we put in power.To much proof Bin Laden is by now means a good person but if compared with Israel or America hes basicly just a person they blamed to cover there guilt but with all the other things Bin Laden done he was the best cop out.They got rid of the body wonder if they even got him.When he was on the FBIs 10 most wanted he was getting kidney dialisus done at an American hospital.He probly died and they made the story about killingf hiom if he even is dead no body no proof and we can least of all trust the government not to add more lies to tjhe millions they already tell Americans whenever it is in there intrest sad.
People should understand that this is tax money collect from the arabs and it never should be in the hands of the Israeli in the first place. It is a disgrace that armed thugs can occupy a land and steal the money in the form of taxes collect to have the thugs in the area and then steal the wealth while starving the individual. Give peace a change and fire that prostitute in the congress and senate who gives all our wealth to keep Israel overly supplied in arms.
Israel has NO right to withhold Palestinian monies. Just another illegitimate outrage by an illegitimate and obscenely apartheid regime.
Hope this will encourage more people to join the boycott movement. Israel is declaring war on all who criticize it, as well as torturing the Palestinians. That should cost it support — and lots and lots of shekels.