Israel withholds Palestinian funds after U.N. vote

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/israel-withholds-palestinian-funds-u-n-vote-113933165.html

Reuters – 4 hrs ago

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel said on Sunday it was withholding this month's transfer of tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority, after the United Nations' de facto recognition of a Palestinian state.

Under interim peace deals, which Israel says the Palestinians violated by unilaterally seeking an upgrade of their status at the United Nations, it collects about $100 million a month in duties on behalf of the authority.

But, Israeli officials said, the authority owes about $200 million to the Israel Electric Corporation, and that money will now be deducted from the tax transfers.

The cash-strapped authority, which exercises limited self-rule in the occupied West Bank, largely depends on the tax money to pay civil servants' salaries. Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior Palestinian official, said Israel was guilty of "piracy and theft" by refusing to hand over the funds.

Israel has previously frozen payments to the body during times of heightened security and diplomatic tensions, provoking strong international criticism, such as when the U.N. cultural body UNESCO granted the Palestinians full membership a year ago.

"I do not intend this month to transfer the funds to the Palestinians. In the coming period I intend to use the money to deduct debts the Palestinian Authority owes to the Israel Electric Corporation and other bodies," Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Israel Radio.

The U.N. victory for the Palestinians was a diplomatic setback for the United States and Israel, which were joined by only a handful of countries in voting against upgrading the Palestinians' observer status at the U.N. to "non-member state", like the Vatican, from "entity".

Hours after the U.N. vote, Israel said it was authorizing 3,000 new settler homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and expediting planning work for thousands more dwellings in a geographically sensitive area close to Jerusalem, which critics said would kill off Palestinian hopes of a viable state.

The United States said the expansion plan, which also drew strong European criticism, was counterproductive to the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks frozen since 2010.

Edited December 2, 2012 by Bad_Daddy

[Karee 4,191]

The U.S. should withhold it's annual foreign aid to Israel and give it directly to to the Palestinians. I'm sure it wont happen, but would be the right thing to do.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

The U.S. should withhold it's annual foreign aid to Israel and give it directly to to the Palestinians. I'm sure it wont happen, but would be the right thing to do.

I think the US actually threatened to do the exact opposite a week ago.

[Karee 4,191]

I think the US actually threatened to do the exact opposite a week ago.

Go figure.... I'm starting to think AIPAC runs this country.

[mawilson 2,133]

They should complain to the UN!

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

They should complain to the UN!

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

They should complain to the UN!

Now they can file with the ICC. That will limit the ability of named Israeli government officials from freely traveling outside Israel proper without being subject to arrest for war crimes.

[mawilson 2,133]

Now they can file with the ICC. That will limit the ability of named Israeli government officials from freely traveling outside Israel proper without being subject to arrest for war crimes.

Yeah that's gonna happen

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Yeah that's gonna happen

That's already the case for certain former Bush officials.

Edited December 2, 2012 by The Patriot

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Now they can file with the ICC. That will limit the ability of named Israeli government officials from freely traveling outside Israel proper without being subject to arrest for war crimes.

Does this mean certain Israeli officials won't be taking that dream vacation in Yemen after all?

[mawilson 2,133]

Does this mean certain Israeli officials won't be taking that dream vacation in Yemen after all?

That's already the case for certain former Bush officials.

I'm sure they are shaking in their boots at the thought of being arrested for war crimes

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

I'm sure they are shaking in their boots at the thought of being arrested for war crimes

I'm not sure how valid the ICC is. Its only about 10 years old, countries like the US are not members because of conflicts with the US constitution etc.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I'm not sure how valid the ICC is. Its only about 10 years old, countries like the US are not members because of conflicts with the US constitution etc.

Three signatory countries have withdrawn support, the same three countries that have outstanding arrest warrants issued for the arrest of some of their officials: The United States, Israel, and the Sudan.

Edited December 2, 2012 by The Patriot

[mawilson 2,133]

Three signatory countries have withdrawn support, the same three countries that have outstanding arrest warrants issued for the arrest of some of their officials: The United States, Israel, and the Sudan.

So who's going to arrest them and cause a major international scandal? Get real.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

So who's going to arrest them and cause a major international scandal? Get real.

It is a big world out there. There must be a few people in it with some huge testicles.