Posted on 03/27/2015 12:20:01 PM PDT by Star Traveler
State Department, Quartet envoy Blair call move a step in right direction; Palestinians say they are still waiting for official word.
The US on Friday welcomed Israel’s decision to release Palestinian tax funds which were frozen in January, calling Jerusalem’s move “an important step” to reduce tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
“We certainly hope both sides would be able to build on this,” State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke said, according to Reuters.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said revenues accumulated over three months, frozen by Israel since January in retaliation for a Palestinian move to join the International Criminal Court would be transferred after normal deductions for services.
But it did not say whether Israel would resume the normal monthly payment of around $127 million in customs duties levied on goods destined for Palestinian markets that transit through Israeli ports. A spokesman for Netanyahu, contacted by AFP, would not say.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofisrael.com ...
AND ... it's probably a good move to take the pressure off Israel and Netanyahu!
Israel Releases Frozen Palestinian Authority Tax Funds
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3272780/posts
Prime Minister’s Office confirms millions of dollars in tax revenue will go to PA; Netanyahu says important to act ‘responsibly’.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has accepted the recommendation of Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, as well as the IDF and Shin Bet security service, and unfrozen millions of dollars in tax revenue for the Palestinian Authority.
The Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that following the decision the funds would be transferred to the PA immediately, to cover amenities including water, electricity and hospitals.
The PMO stated that the decision had been taken “based on humanitarian considerations and from a wider perspective the interests of Israel at this time.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Israel Releases Frozen Palestinian Authority Tax Funds
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