A sidebar to the Palestinian uprising and Israel’s harsh retaliatory reaction is a cut in the amount of tax revenues that Israel has transferred to the Palestinians. According to Globes, an Israeli business daily, Israeli financial authorities transferred only 2.44 billion shekels to the Palestinian Authority in 2000 ¯ below the 2.5-2.7 billion-shekel amounts transferred in previous years.
Unsurprisingly, the fall in transfers was most marked from October-December, when Israel transferred only 390 million shekels to the Palestinian Authority, only 42 percent from the 668 million shekels transferred during the third quarter of the year. During June-September, Israel transferred 1.15 billion shekels ¯ equal to 74 percent of all money transfers in 2000.
In June, Israel extended an advance worth 200 million shekels against future tax transfers. That amount was deducted in November and December from the transfer amounts, reported Globes. According to earlier agreements, the Israeli tax and customs authorities collect purchase tax and other taxes on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. ¯ (Albawaba-MEBG)
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
