Status: 07.01.2023 03:44
The new ultra-right government in Israel has announced sanctions against the Palestinian Authority. These are a reaction to the fact that the Palestinians had initiated an examination of the Israeli occupation at the United Nations.
The new Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced sanctions against the Palestinian leadership.
Netanyahu’s office said the security cabinet agreed to withhold $39 million in funding from the Palestinian Authority. Instead, the funds would be used for a compensation program to benefit relatives of Israeli victims of Palestinian attacks.
Response to Palestinian UN initiative
The hard-line government said the sanctions were in response to the Palestinians launching a United Nations review of the Israeli occupation. The UN General Assembly voted by a majority to pass a resolution asking the International Criminal Court to issue an assessment of the legality of Israeli policies in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The security cabinet criticized the action by the Palestinians as a “decision to wage political and legal war against the State of Israel”.
Palestinian Prime Minister reacts with indignation
The Israeli government also wants to withhold further revenue from the Palestinian Authority. The security cabinet reportedly wanted to compensate for a sum that had been paid by the Palestinian Authority to relatives of Palestinian prisoners and suspected extremists by cutting transfers.
The Palestinian leadership argues that the payments are important social assistance. Israel criticizes that they encourage violence. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh has slammed the Israeli government’s actions, saying it will deepen the financial crisis for the Palestinians. But: “Israeli expression with our tax revenues will not prevent us from continuing our political and diplomatic struggle.”
Other sanctions included the denial of special rights for Palestinian officials. So far, high-ranking members of the Palestinian Authority have received permission to leave and enter the West Bank without any problems. The security cabinet also intends to halt the construction of Palestinian buildings in 60 percent of the West Bank. This percentage is completely under Israeli control.