Israel announced today that it would free up another 200 million shekels ($42.5 million) of frozen PA tax monies and transfer the sum to the Palestinian Authority. Israel transferred 70 million shekels to the PA two weeks ago, only about an hour before the terrorist attack in Hebrew University that killed nine Jews. Seven Israelis were murdered in terrorist attacks in the week preceding that transfer.
Today's transfer, as the previous one, will be entrusted to the PA's new finance minister, Salam Fayad, whom Prime Minister Sharon praised today. Fayad promised that the money would be used not for terrorism but to feed the hungry. MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) is not quite convinced: "The transfer of these funds to the PA," he told Arutz-7 today, "is exactly the same thing as Switzerland's financial support for Nazi Germany, which allowed the Nazis to hold out for another two years."
Coincidentally or not, IDF Intelligence Chief Gen. Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today that Yasser Arafat is the sole trustee of $1.3 billion of PA funds. He said that Fayad has no access to this money.
Bank of Israel economists announced earlier this month that by the end of 2002, Israel will have lost a total of $8.5 billion in growth as a result of the nearly two-year-old Oslo War. Israel’s growth for 2002 alone will be reduced by 3.5-5%. The Arab violence has taken a particular toll in the areas of investment, tourism, exports, and private consumption.
Today's transfer, as the previous one, will be entrusted to the PA's new finance minister, Salam Fayad, whom Prime Minister Sharon praised today. Fayad promised that the money would be used not for terrorism but to feed the hungry. MK Avigdor Lieberman (Yisrael Beiteinu) is not quite convinced: "The transfer of these funds to the PA," he told Arutz-7 today, "is exactly the same thing as Switzerland's financial support for Nazi Germany, which allowed the Nazis to hold out for another two years."
Coincidentally or not, IDF Intelligence Chief Gen. Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today that Yasser Arafat is the sole trustee of $1.3 billion of PA funds. He said that Fayad has no access to this money.
Bank of Israel economists announced earlier this month that by the end of 2002, Israel will have lost a total of $8.5 billion in growth as a result of the nearly two-year-old Oslo War. Israel’s growth for 2002 alone will be reduced by 3.5-5%. The Arab violence has taken a particular toll in the areas of investment, tourism, exports, and private consumption.