Donia Al-Watan
A new report by the Israeli newspaper ‘Jerusalem Post’, based on unnamed sources within the Palestinian Authority, claims that the PA has agreed to pursue no formal charges against Israel in the International Criminal Court (ICC), in exchange for the release of tax money that had been illegally seized by Israeli authorities.
The Head of the Political Committee in Legislative Council and the member of PLO Abdullah Abdullah told Donia Al-Watan Newspaper that these statements published by the Israeli newspaper Ma’aref are baseless. “The move toward the ICC is a right for Palestine as a member country in the United Nation, the money Israel freezes is Palestinian money but Israel steals it and exchanges for the PA after it piracies most of it,” Abdullah added.
Israel froze the transfer at the beginning of January, after the Palestinians moved to join the ICC, where they would be able to sue Israeli officials.
The decision came 10 days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was reelected and subsequently chosen to form the next government.
Abdullah said that Palestinian and Israeli officials convened yesterday to discuss the transferring of tax revenues referring that Israel attempted to pay Israeli pills from the Palestinians money. “We rebuff Israeli seizure for Palestinian money, insist as well to take all our rights,” Abdullah told Donia Al-Watan, “there is no connection between the release of tax revenues and the Palestinian move to ICC,” he added.
Abdullah said that the rumors about suspending the move to ICC aim to disturbance and chaos, it may be to face the pressure on the Israeli government due to the calls by Israeli security services for releasing the Palestinian money as the continuing of halting tax revenues will cause uncontrollable situation.
Tareq Hajjaj contributed reporting.
