RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instructed all Palestinian embassies around the world to launch a comprehensive international campaign to expose the Israeli government’s policies against the Palestinians, Ambassador Ahmed Al-Deek told Arab News on Monday.
Al-Deek, political advisor to Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki — whose VIP travel card was canceled by Israel — also said that the crisis-hit Palestinian Authority was expecting more punitive measures from the extremist government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Al-Deek stressed that the Israeli sanctions, made in response to a Palestinian appeal for UN help, would not discourage the Palestinian foreign minister from continuing to consolidate the international front rejecting the Israeli occupation.
He cautioned that the latest sanctions might lead to either the collapse of the PA or a wave of widespread anger among Palestinians.
He added that the Israeli actions would deepen the financial crisis of the Palestinian government, affecting its ability to fulfill its financial obligations toward Palestinians in terms of paying salaries and health and educational services in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said the Israeli measures are “aimed at toppling the authority and pushing it to the brink financially and institutionally.”
Palestinian political and economic experts also told Arab News that Israel’s oppressive measures might lead to the collapse of the authority.
They said Israeli actions have made it impossible for the authority to carry out its duties toward its people, such as paying the salaries of 170,000 public employees.
A lack of funds is also preventing the authority from providing residents with health and education services.
The right-wing government began the punitive measures within a short time of gaining the parliament’s confidence.
Israel canceled the special permits of senior leaders of the PA and Fatah — including the foreign minister — that facilitate their movement and travel.
It also confiscated funds belonging to the PA, weakening its capabilities to provide services to more than 5 million Palestinians living in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
Extreme right-wing Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has already threatened about 4,700 Palestinian security prisoners with further restrictions on their detention conditions in Israeli prisons.
Since its establishment in 1994, the PA has relied on two primary sources of funding: international aid, which has recently decreased to 20 percent of the value of support it received seven years ago, and the taxes that Israel collects on behalf of the PA, from which it also deducts.
On Friday, the Security Cabinet decided Israel would withhold $39 million from the PA. It also said Israel would further deduct revenue it typically transfers to the cash-strapped PA.
Since November 2021, the PA has been unable to pay more than 80 percent of the salaries of its employees or implement any infrastructure development projects in the Palestinian territories.
More punitive measures are expected as Finance Minister Betsalel Smotrich has confirmed that Israeli moves so far constitute “only the beginning.”
Ambassador Al-Deek said that Israel aims to weaken all the institutions of the Palestinian state instead of recognizing the people’s right to self-determination and an independent state.
“We reject these measures, which are considered a violation of the agreements signed between us and Israel,” Al-Deek told Arab News.
Palestinians expect that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Israel and the region before the end of this month will pressure Israel to stop taking further punitive measures.
Palestinian economist Samir Hulileh told Arab News that the Israeli economic sanctions come after a difficult economic phase that the authority went through.
The PA is already hit by the fiscal deficit in its budget, the decline in international support due to the stalled peace process and the advent of right-wing Israeli governments that are not interested in a solution.
“Any additional deduction from the PA’s funds will negatively affect its ability to fulfill its obligations toward its people,” Hulileh told Arab News.
Reducing the PA’s financial capabilities will affect the security services and their ability to maintain safety in their areas.
The total external support the PA receives is $400 million annually, representing 20 percent of the support it received seven years ago.
The PA is the second employer in the Palestinian territories, with 23 percent of the total workforce, after the private sector.
“The problem currently lies in the accumulation of debts owed by the PA to suppliers and local banks over the past three years, which poses a threat to its survival,” Hulileh told Arab News.
Palestinians have called on Abbas to halt security cooperation with Israel in response to the recent Israeli punitive measures. Abbas, however, does not plan to take such a decision soon.
More Israeli restrictions against Palestinian prisoners and violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque would undoubtedly lead to widespread anger among the Palestinians and an outbreak of violence, Palestinian sources confirmed to Arab News.
