RAMALLAH, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Presidency warned on Monday that Israel's ongoing withholding of Palestinian tax revenues bears serious repercussions on government services.
The presidency said in a statement published by the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) that Israel's continuous hold on Palestinian tax revenues is "piracy and collective punishment against the entire Palestinian people."
"This action has grave implications on the services provided by the Palestinian government to all sectors, specifically the health sector, which has experienced a drastic decline, along with education and all aspects of life," said the statement.
The Palestinian government "will never cease transferring the rightful funds to Gaza and will continue fulfilling its obligations to our people in Gaza in the fields of health, education, water, electricity, and salaries for government employees," confirmed the statement.
The Palestinian Presidency held Washington "directly responsible for supporting the policy and the withholding and theft of Palestinian people's funds facing aggression, famine, and deprivation in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem," urging the U.S. administration to compel Israel to "halt policies and crimes committed against every Palestinian."
Israeli media outlets reported that the Israeli security cabinet meeting concluded on Sunday night without voting on transferring funds to the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Israel collects taxes on behalf of the PA on imports into Palestinian territories and transfers the funds monthly, averaging around 200 million U.S. dollars. ■
