Abbas’ spokesman: Israeli salaries law is a "dangerous decision, " "a sort of declaration of war against the Palestinian people, its fighters, its prisoners, and also its Martyrs"
Headline: "Abu Rudeina: The deduction of the prisoners and Martyrs' allowances is a red line and a sort of declaration of war against the Palestinian people"
“The Palestinian [PA] presidential office condemned the Israeli Parliament's decision to ratify the law to deduct the allowances (mukhassasat) of the Martyrs (Shahids) and prisoners from the Palestinian tax money (referring to a law deducting terror salaries from PA tax money; see note below). Official Spokesman for the [PA] Presidential Office [and Fatah Central Committee member] Nabil Abu Rudeina said in a statement today (Tuesday) [July 3, 2018] that the presidential office adamantly objects to this dangerous decision, and that it thinks it harms the foundations of the relations from the time of the Oslo Accords and until now.
He added that if this law is implemented, it will lead to significant Palestinian decisions in order to deal with this dangerous decision, as this matter is considered one of the red lines that no one is allowed to harm or cross. Abu Rudeina considered [this law] as a sort of declaration of war against the Palestinian people, its fighters, its prisoners, and also its Martyrs, who have carried the flag of freedom for Jerusalem and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The official spokesman also said: 'The execution of this decision will have dangerous consequences, and all of the Palestinian options will be open on all levels – from the International Criminal Court to the UN Security Council.' He pointed out that the Israeli Parliament’s oppressive and dangerous decision requires the Palestinian people, the Arab nation, and also the international community to take an uncompromising position in order to oppose it and cancel it. Abu Rudeina continued: ‘In its coming meetings, including the convention of the central council that the PA has established, the Palestinian leadership will consider making critical and historic decisions that will change the character of the existing relations, as this Israeli step is considered an attack against the Palestinian people’s history and its struggle for freedom and independence.’ Abu Rudeina concluded his statement by saying: ‘What is required of the government of Israel now is to reexamine its positions and its decisions so that matters do not reach a dangerous path and a dead-end.’”
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Law to deduct terror salaries from PA tax money - A law to deduct the amount of money the PA pays imprisoned terrorists and families of "Martyrs" from the tax money Israel collects for the PA, which was passed by the Israeli Parliament on July 2, 2018. The law freezes the deducted money and has Israel hold it indefinitely. Should the PA not pay terrorists' salaries or allowances to families of "Martyrs" for a full year, the Israeli government would have the option of giving all or part of the frozen money to the PA.
During the vote on the law, Israeli Parliament Member and Chairman of the Israeli Parliament Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Avi Dichter said: “The [Israeli Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee received much help in its deliberations - from the families of terror victims and those wounded by terror attacks who came to the discussions and shared their views with us, and with them were people from Palestinian Media Watch who provided us with authentic data that enabled productive and professional deliberations, nuances that are very difficult to achieve without precise data.” [Israeli Parliament website, July 2, 2018]
“The Palestinian [PA] presidential office condemned the Israeli Parliament's decision to ratify the law to deduct the allowances (mukhassasat) of the Martyrs (Shahids) and prisoners from the Palestinian tax money (referring to a law deducting terror salaries from PA tax money; see note below). Official Spokesman for the [PA] Presidential Office [and Fatah Central Committee member] Nabil Abu Rudeina said in a statement today (Tuesday) [July 3, 2018] that the presidential office adamantly objects to this dangerous decision, and that it thinks it harms the foundations of the relations from the time of the Oslo Accords and until now.
He added that if this law is implemented, it will lead to significant Palestinian decisions in order to deal with this dangerous decision, as this matter is considered one of the red lines that no one is allowed to harm or cross. Abu Rudeina considered [this law] as a sort of declaration of war against the Palestinian people, its fighters, its prisoners, and also its Martyrs, who have carried the flag of freedom for Jerusalem and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The official spokesman also said: 'The execution of this decision will have dangerous consequences, and all of the Palestinian options will be open on all levels – from the International Criminal Court to the UN Security Council.' He pointed out that the Israeli Parliament’s oppressive and dangerous decision requires the Palestinian people, the Arab nation, and also the international community to take an uncompromising position in order to oppose it and cancel it. Abu Rudeina continued: ‘In its coming meetings, including the convention of the central council that the PA has established, the Palestinian leadership will consider making critical and historic decisions that will change the character of the existing relations, as this Israeli step is considered an attack against the Palestinian people’s history and its struggle for freedom and independence.’ Abu Rudeina concluded his statement by saying: ‘What is required of the government of Israel now is to reexamine its positions and its decisions so that matters do not reach a dangerous path and a dead-end.’”
Click to view bulletin
Law to deduct terror salaries from PA tax money - A law to deduct the amount of money the PA pays imprisoned terrorists and families of "Martyrs" from the tax money Israel collects for the PA, which was passed by the Israeli Parliament on July 2, 2018. The law freezes the deducted money and has Israel hold it indefinitely. Should the PA not pay terrorists' salaries or allowances to families of "Martyrs" for a full year, the Israeli government would have the option of giving all or part of the frozen money to the PA.
During the vote on the law, Israeli Parliament Member and Chairman of the Israeli Parliament Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Avi Dichter said: “The [Israeli Parliament] Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee received much help in its deliberations - from the families of terror victims and those wounded by terror attacks who came to the discussions and shared their views with us, and with them were people from Palestinian Media Watch who provided us with authentic data that enabled productive and professional deliberations, nuances that are very difficult to achieve without precise data.” [Israeli Parliament website, July 2, 2018]
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