Palestinians Deny Deal For Tax Money

The Palestinian Authority denied on Monday a report that it was reciprocating the Israeli decision to unfreeze PA tax revenues by agreeing to hold off on war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court, Haaretz said.

A senior Palestinian official called the report, which appeared in The Jerusalem Post on Sunday night, a fabrication of the Prime Minister’s Office.

“We continue to seek membership of the International Criminal Court and we expect the ICC to open an investigation into Israeli settlements, as well as the recent war in Gaza,” the official said.

“The reports in the Israeli newspapers are nothing more than spin from Netanyahu’s bureau; there was no such agreement. The money that Netanyahu transferred is Palestinian money and he isn’t doing us any favors,” he added.

The Prime Minister’s Office said that the decision to transfer the money was made on the recommendation of Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, the Israel Defense Forces, and the Shin Bet security service that the revenues be transferred.

Israel has been under intense pressure from the United States and the European Union to release the funds lest the Palestinian Authority fall into economic collapse and anarchy.

This article appeared in print on page 7 of the March 31st, 2015 edition of Hamodia.