The US considers it “inappropriate” for Israel to give money raised on behalf of the PA to victims of terrorism

June 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The spokesman for the United States Department of State, Matthew Miller, has considered “inappropriate” the decision taken this Thursday by Israel to give victims of terrorism 130 million shekels (about 32.4 million euros) collected in taxes on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, whose transfer to the organization headed by Mahmoud Abbas has been suspended amidst tensions due to the attacks carried out on October 7 by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).

“It is not appropriate. We have made it very clear to the Government of Israel that these funds belong to the Palestinian people. They should be transferred immediately to the Palestinian Authority. They should not have been withheld. They should not be delayed,” Miller said during a press conference.

In that sense, he has insisted that the money belongs to the Palestinian people and that “it is important” that the Government has access to these funds to carry out its activities, highlighting that the Palestinian Authority “has worked incredibly hard” to maintain stability. in the West Bank for years, and “especially” following the October 7 attacks by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) from the Gaza Strip.

“We have raised with Israel that this type of decision is extraordinarily counterproductive. It not only harms the Palestinian people, but also the interests of Israel. (…) And this type of action by the Israeli Government runs the risk of destabilizing the West Bank and further harm Israel’s own security. We believe it is an extraordinarily wrong decision,” he added.

Israel’s Finance Minister, the far-right Bezalel Smotrich, has made this decision considering that “the Palestinian Authority incites and promotes terrorism by paying the families of terrorists, prisoners and released inmates,” and has described it as “historic justice.” after mentioning the judicial rulings that have compensated victims of terrorism.

The World Bank warned at the end of May that the Palestinian Authority faces the possibility of a “financial collapse”, a situation it blamed on the suspension of tax transfers and a “massive decline” in economic activity within the framework of the military offensive against the Gaza Strip and increased security operations in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Following the Oslo Accords, signed in 1993, Israel collects these funds on behalf of the Palestinian Authority and transfers them monthly, after deducting expenses derived from services such as electricity and water. In recent years, these deliveries have been frozen on several occasions due to tensions within the framework of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.