The Palestinian Authority says the Israeli government illegally deducted about $1.9 billion from Palestinian tax revenues, Al Jazeera reports.
According to the latest figures by the Ministry of Finance, Israel deducted $749 million between October 2023 and August 2024. The Palestinian Authority allocated this amount for its Gaza-based civil servants and other services, such as health and education.
The PA says Israel is deducting these funds “as a punitive measure” to stop payments allocated for Gaza.
Israel is also refusing to transfer revenue from exit taxes — departure fees paid by Palestinian travellers — at border crossings to Jordan. This amount has now surpassed $238m, it said.
Israel collects taxes on the Palestinians’ behalf as stipulated by the Oslo Accords signed in 1993 and 1995 between the two parties.