Israel to deduct Palestinian terror funding from tax fees it hands to the PA

It is one of a number of measures Israel took on Friday in response to the twin terror attacks, that occurred some 15 kilometers from each other in the area of the Palestinian city of Hebron.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF
Updated: JULY 1, 2016 20:18
PM Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at Sarona Market, June 9 2016. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
PM Benjamin Netanyahu speaking at Sarona Market, June 9 2016.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
To stop the Palestinian Authority from making payments to terrorists and their families, Israel plans to deduct that sum from it’s monthly transfer of tax fees to the Fatah led government in the West Bank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered that the transfer of those fees be halted in response to two deadly terror attacks in a 48-hour period that claimed the lives of Hallel Yaffa Ariel, 13, and Rabbi Michael “Miki” Mark, 48, who is a father of ten children.
“The Palestinian Authority transfers funds to terrorists by various laundering methods; the more severe the acts of terrorism, the greater the amount of funds,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement it issued on Friday.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu has ordered that the entire amount of support for terrorists and their families be deducted from the tax revenues that Israel transfers monthly to the Palestinian Authority,” the PMO said.
“Israel believes that the encouragement of terrorism by the Palestinian leadership – in the form of both incitement and payments to terrorists and their families – constitutes incentive for murder.” the PMO said.
It is one of a number of measures Israel took on Friday in response to the twin terror attacks, that occurred some 15 kilometers from each other in the area of the Palestinian city of Hebron.
The IDF imposed a closure on that city.
Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) and Education Minister Nafatali Bennett (Bayit Yehudi) both demanded Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhu call an emergency meeting of the security cabinet on Friday.
"We must understand that we are in a war and must act accordingly. A state of emergency must be declared, legislation allowing the expulsion of the families of terrorist needs to be promoted and we need to take steps to crack down on those who incite terrorism," said Katz who is a member of the Security Cabinet.
Bennett called on the IDF and the government to force the families of the terrorists to pay a hefty price for the actions of their relatives.
“We can’t continue to rely on a policy of closures and the withholding of tax fees,” Bennett said.
Even when the tax fees are withheld, the families of the terrorists continue to receive payments from the PA, Bennett said.
The family of Muhammad Tarayrah, 17, who killed Hallel Yaffa Ariel on Thursday will already get such funds in August, Bennett said.
He proposed a number of new punitive measures in additional to home demolitions such as for the families to be exiled and or imprisoned. In addition, he suggested the demolition of thousands of Palestinian homes that have been constructed illegally in the West Bank.
Facebook and or the Palestinian 3G network could be shut down, a move that would be an effective way to combat Palestinian incitement on social media, Bennett said.
Palestinian traffic could be halted all together on Route 60, where Friday’s attack occurred, Bennett suggested.
The IDF could arrest all Hamas activists and or re-arrest all Palestinians freed from jail as part of the deal to free Gilad Schalit in 2011 but who have committed crimes in the last two years, Bennett offered.
The IDF could restore full operational activity in Areas A and B of the West Bank, Bennett said.
He also called for the construction of two new neighborhoods in the Kiryat Arba settlement.