Smotrich orders stealing of NIS 100 million from PA calling them ‘terrorism funds’
Occupied Palestine (Quds News Network)- Israel’s Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, has escalated financial pressure on the Palestinian Authority (PA) by stealing 100 million shekels (approximately $27 million) of PA tax funds. This move comes as part of a broader strategy to counteract what Israel describes as the “PA’s financial support for terrorism”.
“The fight against terror is not only a military one but also includes combating the PA’s rampant incitement and the terror funds they allocate to families of terrorists,” Smotrich said announcing his decision.
In June, Smotrich had already decided to cut 130 million shekels ($35 million) from the revenues collected by Israel on behalf of the PA. This deduction was redirected to 28 Israeli families following Israeli court orders.
This financial strain on the PA is part of a broader context of Israeli policies that have led to severe fiscal challenges for the Palestinian authority. The PA’s financial troubles have been compounded since the onset of the Israeli war on Gaza, with Smotrich deducting amounts that the PA spends on staff and pensioners in Gaza. These deductions, combined with a sharp decline in private consumption and imports, have reduced the PA’s eligible revenues to less than $100 million per month—around a quarter of its monthly budget.
