“Piracy and theft of Palestinian money,” is how a Palestinian Authority official described the decision by an Israeli Court on Friday to confiscate $150 million of Palestinian funds in order to pay as damages to Israeli families of people killed in alleged Palestinian attacks.
The PA, which is already strapped for funds, following a systematic American campaign to withhold aid from Palestinians, is now facing another potential financial crisis following the Jerusalem’s court ruling.
RT PalestineChron "In the Name of ‘Israel’s Security’: Retreating #US Gives #Israel Billions more in Military Aid https://t.co/gqpKnXs8lp via PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/DaBZ5gQojJ"
— Richard Hardigan (@RichardHardigan) January 24, 2020
The Israeli court’s decision was the outcome of a lawsuit brought by an Israeli legal advocacy group, Shurat Hadin, which represents a number of Israelis whose relatives reportedly died in attacks carried out during the Second Palestinian Intifada or uprising (2000-2005).
During the Intifada, Palestinians rose throughout the occupied territories demanding their freedom and an end to the Israeli military occupation.
Thousands of Palestinians were killed during the Intifada, most of them civilians, and hundreds of activists were assassinated or killed in cold blood.
New Financial Crisis Looms as #Israel Withholds Millions of #Palestinian Tax Money https://t.co/jelJZUCBIX @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/gHtEDv49G1
— @palestinechron (@PalestineChron) January 28, 2020
While Palestinians never received compensation for the five-year bloody Israeli campaign, Israelis have been suing the Palestinian Authority hoping to seize Palestinian funds which are collected by Israel on behalf of the PA in the form of tax money.
Shurat Hadin had initially asked for $2 billion in compensation.
The Israeli court gave the government until next month to request the order to be annulled.
“Israel might consider appealing if it fears the freezing of the funds could destabilize the cash-strapped Palestinian government,” The New York Times reported on Monday.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
