Israel approves $230m loan for PA’s fight against COVID-19

Israel will approve $230 million payment to the Palestinian Authority to help it cope with the coronavirus, Finance Ministry officials confirmed yesterday evening.

The money transfer is an advance on the tax revenue Israel collects on the PA’s behalf, government sources said.

“The payment will be transferred in four monthly installments. The first installment will be delivered at the end of this month,” they added.

According to Haaretz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett and National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat all approved the payment.

Last week,  the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) launched a coronavirus emergency appeal for Palestine refugees.

Palestine on Sunday declared a new case of coronavirus in the West Bank, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country to 547.

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