Israel seizes 149 million shekels from Palestinian Authority funds

Israel’s Enforcement and Collection Authority said it has recently seized 149 million shekels from clearance funds belonging to the Palestinian Authority (PA), to pay compensation to the families of Israelis killed or injured in attacks carried out by Palestinians.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the authority said the seized money was allocated to 124 enforcement cases opened on the basis of Israeli court rulings that approved civil and punitive compensation. The funds were transferred to legal representatives acting for the families of Israeli victims.

Israel is currently withholding around $4 billion in Palestinian clearance revenues, a move that has deepened the financial crisis facing the Palestinian Authority. Unpaid dues to employees in the public and private sectors have reached $4.26 billion.

According to the statement, the seizure measures were applied on the grounds that the funds are linked to what Israel describes as “payments made to Palestinian prisoners”. Israel said these funds are “subject to seizure” and directly connected them to court rulings in cases it described as “hostile acts”.

The statement added that the Enforcement Directorate is responsible for collecting sums ordered by Israeli courts, including compensation linked to Palestinian prisoners serving long sentences, whom Israel accuses of carrying out attacks against Israeli targets.