The order to take $35 million out of Palestinian tax income and give it to Israeli families whose members were killed in Palestinian attacks was signed by Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s far-right Finance Minister.
As to the 1994 Paris agreement with the Palestinian Liberation Organization, Israel is responsible for collecting Palestinian tax and deducting 3 percent of the total amount as a collection charge. With an estimated monthly total revenue of over $220 million, it is the primary source of income for the Palestinian Authority.
Reporting from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh calls this a “unprecedented” move for Israel.
“They’ve passed legislation taking away Palestinian funds, granting Israel’s finance minister the authority to use that money whatever he pleases, whether it’s to compensate Israeli families affected by Palestinian attacks or to even direct it elsewhere and now he’s putting that into action,” Odeh said.
