EU Urges PA to Accept Reduced Money Transfers on Provisional Basis

After a series of Palestinian protests and a flurry of diplomatic contacts, the European Union intervened on Thursday in the developing crisis over Israel’s decision to stop tax transfers corresponding to the amount of terror stipends doled out by the Palestinian Authority.

The EU took a middle ground, calling on the PA to accept the monies from Israel with deductions, despite Mahmoud Abbas’s declaration to refuse everything, while efforts would be made to restore the economic agreements to full function.

“We have been in touch with both parties and expressed our clear expectation that economic and fiscal agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority should continue to be fully implemented, including Israel’s obligations under the Paris Protocol,” the EU External Action Service stated.

“Meanwhile, we call on the Palestinian Authority to continue accepting the tax transfers on a provisional basis, which does not constitute a legal or political endorsement of Israeli deductions. A functioning Palestinian Authority that delivers health, education and security to millions of Palestinians is in the interest of both Palestinians and Israelis. We expect both parties to avoid any steps that could risk undermining stability on the ground and the viability of a future Palestinian state.”

Regarding the hated payouts to terrorist prisoners and families of terrorists killed in the act of violence, which was the cause of the Israeli measure, the E.U. had only mild censure of the PA practice:

“The European Union will continue to raise its concerns regarding the nature of the Palestinian system of payments to detainees and families of so-called ‘martyrs.’ We expect genuine commitment from both sides towards a peaceful and negotiated two-state solution, including the need to oppose incitement.”