Brussels, 30/03/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 27 March, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini welcomed Israel's decision to resume the transfer of the Palestinian Authority's tax revenues.
In a press release, the Mogherini stated that “the European Union has been pressing for this step, without which the Palestinian institutions' capacity to govern risked being fatally undermined”. Since the beginning of 2015, Israel has been blocking the payment of taxes and custom duties worth around €106 million a month in retaliation for the Palestinians request to join the International Criminal Court. The Palestinians are expected to submit their first war crimes complaints against Israeli leaders on 1 April.
The staff of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that “this decision [to unblock funds] was taken for humanitarian reasons and, more generally, according to current Israeli interests”.
“Finally after three months, this step will ensure vital relief for thousands of Palestinian Authority workers and their families”, said Mogherini. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)