Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere has called on Israel to release the full tax transfer it is withholding from the Palestinian Authority (PA), stating that the payment is crucial for the welfare of the Palestinian population. Norway, as the chair of the international donor group to the Palestinian territories, has played a significant role in the peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in the early 1990s.
Israel had previously announced on November 2 that it would proceed with a tax revenue transfer to the PA in the Israeli-occupied West Bank but would withhold funds destined for Hamas-ruled Gaza. The PA utilizes these funds to cover public sector wages and pay for electricity in Gaza. Israel’s decision came after an internal cabinet debate over whether to transfer the funds as it continues to battle Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
However, the PA rejected Israel’s partial transfer on November 6. It is estimated that the PA spends around 30% of its budget in Gaza, including expenses for medicine and social assistance programs.
In an interview with Reuters in Oslo, Prime Minister Stoere urged Israel to maintain the agreed transfer of taxes and financial sources of income, emphasizing that the funds are vital in delivering essential services in both Gaza and the West Bank. The withholding of these funds directly impacts the welfare and health of the Palestinian population, he added.
Stoere did not disclose the exact amount of money being withheld but described it as a substantial sum. He also expressed concern that any breakdown of the PA would only benefit extremist forces on the Palestinian side.
The Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank but does not govern Gaza, which is under the control of Islamist rival group Hamas since a brief civil war in 2007. Nevertheless, the PA still employs thousands of civil servants in Gaza.
It remains to be seen whether Israel will respond to Norway’s plea and release the full tax transfer, ensuring the welfare and well-being of the Palestinian population.
