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Israel transfers $1.14bn in tax revenues to PA

December 3, 2020 at 9:00 am

The Israeli occupation authorities have transferred $1.14 billion in tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Wednesday, according to the Palestinian minister of civil affairs.

As stated by Anadolu Agency, Hussein Al-Sheikh posted on Twitter that Israel: “Transferred [to the PA] all the due tax revenues amounting to 3.76 billion shekels ($1.14 billion).”

In July 2018, the Israeli Knesset passed a bill allowing the Israeli government to deduct this amount from the salaries that the PA pays to Palestinian prisoners and to the families of Palestinians killed or injured by Israeli occupation forces.

The tax revenues are collected by the Israeli government on behalf of the PA on Palestinian imports and exports. Israel, in return, earns a commission of three per cent of collected revenues.

The tax revenues collected are estimated at around $188 million monthly; tax revenues represent the main source of income to the PA.

In May, the PA refused to receive its tax revenues from Israel, as part of its decision to suspend coordination with Israel in protest of the announcement to annex large areas in the occupied West Bank.

However, ignoring the Palestinian consensus and dialogue with the Palestinian factions, last month the PA announced the resumption of security and civil coordination with Israel.

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