Palestinian Taxes

As a continuation of yesterday's note, the attached excerpt from Globes (the Israeli business newspaper at www.globes.co.il) gives another perspective on the witholding of PA taxes. Sorry if I seem a little naive, but ...... does it sound to you as if we are finding excuses to give in to US pressure? It is "known" that we cannot use taxes to offset commercial debt even to semi-government bodies. On the other hand, the government is unlikely to allow semi-government bodies to act in a normal commercial fashion to collect their debts. I cannot imagine that we will have the courage to cut off the telephone and electricity on the basis of non-payment of bills if we don't cut off tax transfers on the basis of the waging of war. Not only do my taxes support an infrustructure at war, it looks like my telephone and electricity bill has a hidden subsidy to the enemy.


Best Wishes,

David

Israel holding up transfer of NIS 70-100 mln to Palestinian Authority

Zeev Klein 11.02.2001 17:13

"Israel is holding up the transfer of NIS 70-100 million to the Palestinian Authority (PA), until the PA settles its debt to Israeli companies, including Bezeq and Israel Electric Corporation.


Minister of Finance Avraham Shochat today said that in the next few days he would take action to continue the ordinary tax settlement procedure between Israel and the PA.


In a letter sent today to Palestinian Minister of Economy and Trade Maher Al Masri, Shochat condemns PA residents’ boycott of Israeli products. Shochat adds that he has been informed that in the last few days senior PA officials are enforcing the boycott of Israeli goods.
Shochat also mentioned an incident in Ramallah in which Palestinians set fire to Israeli products. He demanded that the PA denounce the boycott and issue an official call for its discontinuation."


Published by Israel's Business Arena on 11 February, 2001