After UNESCO vote, Israeli sanctions on Palestinian Authority anger U.S.
U.S. envoys tell Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aides that Washington objects to Israel freezing tax income that it collects for the Palestinians.
By Barak Ravid and Agencies Tags: Palestinians Palestinian state Benjamin Netanyahu Palestinian Authority|
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The United States on Thursday protested to the Prime Minister's Office against sanctions Israel has imposed on the Palestinian Authority, following UNESCO's acceptance of Palestine as a full member.
David Hale, the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, and ambassador Dan Shapiro told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aides that Washington objects to Israel freezing tax income that it collects for the Palestinians.
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PA Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Malkiahead of his speech at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris earlier this month. |
| Photo by: AFP |
Netanyahu also announced on Thursday that Israel was freezing funding to UNESCO after it granted the Palestinians membership on Monday. Israel transfers some $2 million to the UN cultural body annually. A source in the Prime Minister's Office said Netanyahu instead ordered the transfer of those funds to initiatives working toward regional cooperation. Netanyahu's decision followed a recommendation by Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz.
"These moves, such as accepting the Palestinians into UNESCO, will not advance peace but will only drive it farther away," Netanyahu said. "The only way to reach peace is through direct negotiations without preconditions."
State Department officials said on Thursday that Hale and Shapiro had conveyed to Netanyahu's envoy Yitzhak Molcho, National Security Adviser Yaakov Amidror and political adviser Ron Dermer their displeasure with Israel's decision to impose sanctions on the PA.
The sanctions included freezing taxes that Israel collected for the Palestinians in October and not transferring them to the PA. The sum, some $100 million a month, is used by the PA to pay wages to security personnel and government officials and civil servants. Holding up the money means thousands of Palestinian civil servants will not be paid before Eid al-Adha or "Festival of Sacrifice."
Hale and Shapiro told Netanyahu's aides the money belongs to the Palestinians and Israel was obliged to transfer it monthly, as stipulated in agreements. They said the United States expects the money to be transferred to the PA as soon as possible, to avoid a crisis there.
Netanyahu's aides said a final decision about transferring the funds has not been made yet and would be discussed soon.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who met Barak in London on Thursday, demanded Israel passes the money to the Palestinians shortly. "This decision raises concern," Hague said. "It's not in either party's interest, certainly not Israel's, as it has immediate implications on the PA's ability to enforce order and security in the West Bank."
Haaretz has learned that Netanyahu has not called Chief of Staff Benny Gantz or any other Israel Defense Forces officer to take part in the forum of eight senior ministers due next Tuesday. The IDF will be represented by Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who objects to freezing the tax funds.
No IDF officers were invited to the debate, apparently because the IDF objects to some of the sanctions the ministers have decided on. The IDF, especially the Central Command, objects to penalizing the PA in a way that could affect the authority's security coordination with the IDF.
The IDF believes Israel should make good will gestures toward the Fatah-dominated PA following the deal to release captured soldier Gilad Shalit, which has strengthened Hamas.
Senior IDF officers said on Thursday that suspending the funds transfer is an irresponsible move that could seriously undermine security coordination with the Palestinians and even lead to a violent conflagration in the West Bank.
"They made a decision without asking the army," a senior officer said. "Afterward we'll have to clean up the mess. What will the Palestinian commanders do when their soldiers don't get paid? Continue chasing terrorists?"
קראו כתבה זו בעברית: ארה"ב דורשת מישראל: העבירו כספי המסים לרשות הפלסטינית
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I don't understand Americans and Europeans. they support Israel in stealing Palestinian land, but when Israelis want to steal some of Palestinian money, they object?!
their $2million and shove it!
BIBI IS FLAPPING AROUND LIKE A CRIPPLE DUCK, THE ONLY THING HE IS REACHING IS DOING A LOT OF DAMAGE TO US AND THE PALESTINIANS. SOON HE WILL BE GONE, LETS HOPE IT WILL BE IN TIME.
It is one thing to withhold funds from UNESCO and to withhold funds that were to be given as donations but withholding funds that were collected from Palestinians is equivalent to stealing. US is is withholding their own funds and Israel is withholding funds that under any circumstances don't belong to Israel.
The time has come for Israel to stop taking these taxes, which are paid on behalf of Palestinian workers in East Jerusalem, Israel contravenes international law on many counts in its dealings with the people of East Jerusalem - now would be a good time for the Palestinians to bring them to the world's attention. Starting with the illegal collection of taxes.
If the PA wants to levy taxes they should do it themselves. It's their problem, not ours.
that's Israel for you. Still the US should talk with it's mindless and senseless pro-Israeli stance no matter what....( except from a lame verbal rebuke)
Can we send home those Israeli scientists participating in European research projects when Israel don't pay their share?
Such an action is called 'Noora Kushti' a terminology used in the subcontinent, when one of the powerful leaders in the game knowingly gets upset when a weaker partner dominates generating hype to deceive the spectators...
Is better the peaceful way palestine is going about their statehood instead of war.
What will do Israel more as soon as the Palestinians become a full member of the UN?
Can you tell me who payed this taxes? The taxes belong to the tax payer, first and foremost who pay taxes to the authority, the authority in return gives benefits. So the core question is where does this tax money comes from? Both PA and Hamas are corrupt and have misused aid money in the past but if the tax comes from UNESCO then Israel has no right to withhold it.
YES! Israel is with holding a mere $100million in palestinian taxes raised from palestinians. it does not have a moral right to receive $3billion raised from US citizens. America should cancel this aid and laugh off any tantrums raised by its spoilt child.
This seems like a petty and vindictive decision. Does the Israeli government want security or have the satisfaction of feeling smug at the immense power and control it exerts?
Baby Netanyahu is only copying what the US did. Sanctioning UNESCO by the US is no less. It is as if UNESCO management decided to accept Palestine. IT is the member states who voted and therefore, i think the US should start sanctioning France and the rest of the 100 countries who voted for Palestine membership. Very soon China will start sanctioning the US we all hope.
It is written in US law that the US government cut funding to any Palestinian recognition at the UN BEFORE pace is reached The fact that this recognition is an attempt to reach peace due to Israeli stalling tactics is a sign that US law is out of date (cynically perhaps?) The Israeli action is a punitive measue and a retaliatory action against a democratic organisation. They are 2 different actions.
An army takes orders from the political establishment. It provides analysis, options and recommendations, but the decision is not the army's to make. It almost sounds like the author of the piece would prefer to give the IDF decision making abilities reserved for the elected representatives of Israel.
How come THIS time, and not the time before, and the time before that? Oh wait! I know! It's because THIS time it knows that IT's punishing the PA as well, by witholding economic aid - as per AIPAC instructions - which combined may very well undo years of progress by crippling the PA beyond recovery. Gee...it sure must suck for the guys at State...trying to balance policy and AIPAC's orders to congress!
He WANTS the the PA's infrastructure to fail and the security it provides to fail so he can re-occupy the West Bank completely and put to final rest any talk of two states. Did anyone read Danny Danon's May 18 editorial in the NY Times? The plan is in place - complete with the concentration of Palestinians into a few scattered pockets of territory so Israel doesn't have to grant them citizenship.