Despite the daily Arab terror attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved the immediate transfer of NIS 70 million in frozen tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority. The funds will be handed over to Salam Fayyad who holds the finance portfolio in the PA, and Israel insists that they must be used for humanitarian purposes, not to finance terror. Israel is expected to turn over an additional NIS 130 million in frozen monies in the near future. Israel put a freeze on payment of tax revenues to the PA at the onset of the Oslo War in September, 2000.
Israel had originally requested that the United States oversee the transfer of the funds to ensure that the money would be used for humanitarian purposes only. However, those demands were dropped as a result of international pressure.
In reaction to the Prime Minister\'s decision, MK Michael Kleiner (Herut party) told Arutz Sheva today that turning over money to the PA in the midst of an Arab terror campaign is very damaging. \"We had just spent a significant amout of time and energy in pressuring the Europeans not to pass funds to the PA - trying to explain that the money goes towards financing terror, incitement, and even goes into Yasser Arafat\'s private accounts - and now we are the ones who send them money!\" exclaimed Kleiner. He added that even if the PA\'s Salam uses the money for humanitarian purposes, \"it will only free up more of Arafat\'s funds to be used for terrorist endeavors.\"
Israel had originally requested that the United States oversee the transfer of the funds to ensure that the money would be used for humanitarian purposes only. However, those demands were dropped as a result of international pressure.
In reaction to the Prime Minister\'s decision, MK Michael Kleiner (Herut party) told Arutz Sheva today that turning over money to the PA in the midst of an Arab terror campaign is very damaging. \"We had just spent a significant amout of time and energy in pressuring the Europeans not to pass funds to the PA - trying to explain that the money goes towards financing terror, incitement, and even goes into Yasser Arafat\'s private accounts - and now we are the ones who send them money!\" exclaimed Kleiner. He added that even if the PA\'s Salam uses the money for humanitarian purposes, \"it will only free up more of Arafat\'s funds to be used for terrorist endeavors.\"