Israel withholds clearance funds for 4th month, US halts visas for Palestinians

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said on Sunday that Israel has withheld the Palestinian Authority’s overdue tax revenues for the fourth consecutive month.

Mustafa explained that the withheld funds now exceed 10 billion shekels (about 3 billion US dollars). He described this as “one of the most serious challenges to our economy and financial situation.”

His remarks came during an emergency meeting of the permanent economic ministerial committee at his office in Ramallah, according to a statement from his office.

Amid further tightening measures against Palestinians, the US administration has suspended visa approvals for almost all holders of Palestinian passports. Senior officials of the Palestinian Authority, including its President Mahmoud Abbas, have already been denied entry visas to the United States.