Israeli sanctions amount to ‘new war’ against Palestinians: PM Shtayyeh

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh says a raft of measures recently announced by Israeli authorities amount to a “new war” against the Palestinian Authority (PA).

Israel's new right-wing cabinet led by Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday it will withhold millions of dollars in tax revenues from the PA.

Speaking at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting held in Ramallah on Sunday, the Palestinian prime minister said the measures amounted to "a new war against the Palestinian people, their capabilities and their funds, and a war against the national authority (PA) and its survival."

Such sanctions, he said, were "aimed at undermining the authority and pushing it to the brink -- financially and institutionally."

Shtayyeh said “acts of piracy, looting and vengeance practiced by the occupying power will not discourage our people and our leadership from continuing in their political, diplomatic and legal struggle. We do not barter our right to self-determination and our freedom for money or privileges.”

Israel has repeatedly withheld tax and customs revenues it collects on behalf of the PA over the past years.

Since the beginning of 2019 and until the end of 2022, Israel has deducted virtually $570 million from the Palestinian tax funds. Israel deducts around $100 million annually as a commission for the collection of taxes on goods and services for the PA before transferring the funds to the PA treasury.

Shtayyeh said the deductions decided by the Israeli courts, the most recent of which was the deduction of $40 million in compensation for Israelis killed by Palestinians, “are illegal and illegitimate and we do not recognize them.”

MG