Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The dispute between Israel and Palestine has existed for 72 years, and there has been no satisfactory resolution. However, the Israeli government is known to have transferred more than US $ 1 billion (Rp.14.1 trillion, assuming an exchange rate of Rp.14,172 / US $) to the Palestinian Authority (PA). This happened after the two of them had been negotiating for two weeks.
This was confirmed by the Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs, Hussein Hussein al-Sheikh on Twitter on Wednesday (2/12/2020). It refers to tax funds, including customs, collected by Israel on behalf of the PA.
“The Israeli government transferred all these financial dues to the Palestinian Authority’s accounts amounting to three billion and 768 million shekels,” Hussein explained.
This transfer was given after it was stopped last May. This is because Palestine has stopped coordinating with Israel in response to Israel’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank.
Israel later postponed its annexation plans in exchange for a deal to normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates. This was announced last August. However in November, Palestine restored coordination with the state of Israel.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said his country had a right to the funds. The funds are expected to reduce pressure on the Palestinian economy from the budget crisis.
“(The employees) will get their debt. They have been patient for months and it is only a matter of a little while to clear things up,” said Shtayyeh.
When this income is lost, the PA must cut the salaries of civil servants. Even though at that time the Palestinian economy began to wrestle due to the impact of the corona virus pandemic.
But according to World Bank calculations, transfers from Israel, which are equivalent to 35% of the PA’s projected tax revenue this year, will not be enough to balance its budget.
Despite transferring these funds, Israel continues to withhold the amount allocated to Palestinian prisoners.
They see payments to those who have carried out attacks on the Israelites prompt further violence. Every month the PA makes payments to the inmate or his family. They describe payment as a form of well-being.
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