Israel: Court agrees to confiscate Palestinian tax revenues to compensate settlers

The Jerusalem District Court has ordered the confiscation of 20 million shekels ($5.5 million) of Palestinian tax revenues Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, to compensate the families of two settlers who were killed two years ago in Huwara village, south of occupied Nablus in the northern West Bank.

Hebrew Channel 7 said the court’s order came following a lawsuit filed by the settlers’ families last week in accordance with the victims’ compensation programme.

Israel often uses its power over the Palestinian tax revenues as a means of collective punishment against Palestinians, including withholding funds or deducting some to compensate settlers allegedly harmed by the Palestinian resistance.

Israel collects about $188 million in Palestinian tax revenues each month and deducts three per cent for “operational fees”.

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