According to the Norwegian government on Thursday, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has received 407 million shekels ($114 million) from Israel; further money is expected in the next few days, as reported by Reuters....CONTINUE.THE.FULL.READING OF THE ARTICLE>>>
On February 18, Norway declared that it will assist in the transfer of money intended for the PA that Israel had collected, giving the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority much-needed financial support.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere emphasized the significance of this financial assistance, stating, “This money is absolutely necessary to prevent the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, to ensure that the Palestinians receive vital services, and that teachers and health workers are paid.”
Stoere further mentioned that more transfers were forthcoming in the “coming days,” though specifics regarding the timing and amounts were not disclosed.
The PA, operating with limited self-governance in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, relies on funds collected by Israel under interim peace agreements from the 1990s. However, a dispute arose following the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas from Gaza, leading to a halt in the transfer of these funds.
Israel collects taxes on goods entering the Palestinian territories via Israeli territory, deducting a 3 percent commission before transferring the remainder to the PA. With control over the borders of the Palestinian territories, Israel retains authority over all crossings except the Rafah crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip.
To resolve the impasse, Norway acts as an intermediary, holding tax revenue equivalent to the portion estimated to belong to Gaza, while the remaining funds are disbursed to the PA, according to an agreed-upon solution.
Additionally, the Norwegian government confirmed on Monday that it had received the share of funds designated for holding on behalf of the PA. However, the exact value of this share was not disclosed in the statement released by Oslo. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
