Reuters reported that the United States is considering asking Israel to transfer some of the tax funds it deducts from the Palestinian Authority (PA) to US President Donald Trump’s “Peace Council."
According to the report, the funds are intended to help finance Trump’s plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip after the war.
The report is based on five different sources who claimed that the Trump administration has not yet made a final decision on whether to submit an official request to Israel on the matter. According to two Palestinian Arab officials involved in the discussions, the American proposal includes transferring some of the funds directly to the “technocratic government" that is supposed to be established in Gaza.
It was further claimed that another portion of the funds would be transferred to the Palestinian Authority, on condition that it commits to carrying out reforms. The Palestinian Authority estimates that the tax funds withheld by Israel amount to approximately $5 billion.
In recent weeks, reports have been published claiming that Trump’s “Peace Council" is facing financial difficulties, after several countries that had committed to helping rebuild Gaza backed away from their pledges.
Reuters noted that officials in the council declined to officially confirm that PA tax funds would be used in the future for Gaza reconstruction.
An official in the “Peace Council" told Reuters that a request had been submitted to all parties involved to help finance Trump’s vision, which is estimated to cost $70 billion. According to him, “That includes the Palestinian Authority and Israel. There is no doubt that money held in a bank does nothing to further the President's 20-Point Plan."