Israel approved an extra 40 million shekels ($11.5 million) for settlements in the occupied West Bank yesterday, reported Haaretz.
The majority of the funding allocation approved by the cabinet – 34.5 million shekels ($9.9 million) – is reportedly a one-time grant for “security needs” of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.
The remaining 5.5 million shekels ($1.6 million) is “for the construction of first aid stations”, reported Haaretz.
Netanyahu announces more budgets for settlements as West Bank Leaders express political support for him a week after the PM was charged with bribery, fraud & breach of trust https://t.co/Z6lbRbkUo1
— Noa Landau נעה לנדאו (@noa_landau) November 29, 2019
News of the funding was initially made public by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Thursday after the embattled premier had met with senior settler leaders, who ended the meeting by expressing support for Netanyahu “and appreciation for his leadership of the country at present”.
Following the cabinet meeting yesterday, Joint List chair MK Ayman Odeh wrote to Attorney General Avichai Mendelblit saying that the circumstances of the funding decision “raise a grave suspicion of budget allocation in exchange for political favor”.
US decision on Israeli settlements does not change anything as far as international law is concerned but it does empower Israel, journalist Ramzy Baroud says pic.twitter.com/8AYCtMjgiX
— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) November 19, 2019
“Netanyahu has done the two things that he loves, at the same time, misappropriating public funds for his personal benefit and expanding the settlement enterprise in order to deepen the occupation,” Odeh said.
(Middle East Monitor, PC, Social Media)
