Abbas raises need for Israel to release PA tax revenues in meeting with top Biden aide
Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told visiting US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan that “the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian state,” rejecting what he said have been Israeli efforts to isolate the territory from the West Bank, his office says.
The stance is backed by the Biden administration, which is looking for the PA to eventually return to govern the Gaza Strip, re-uniting it with the West Bank under a singular political entity in what the US hopes will pave a path toward a two-state solution.
Israel has sought to first focus on dismantling the threat from the Gaza Strip before thinking more broadly and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected the return of the PA to Gaza as well as the establishment of a Palestinian state.
During their meeting in Ramallah, Abbas also raised with Sullivan the need for Israel to release the tax revenues that belong to Ramallah, his office says.
The Israeli cabinet last month voted to withhold roughly $275 million in tax revenues that Jerusalem collects on the PA’s behalf. The sum amounts to what the PA allocates for services and salaries in the Gaza Strip, from which the cabinet is seeking to disconnect following the October 7 onslaught. The figure also makes up roughly 30% of the total monthly revenues owed to Ramallah.
In protest of the Israeli decision, the PA announced that it would not accept any of the tax revenues, daring Jerusalem to allow for its collapse, which could lead to Israel finding itself responsible for providing services to some three million Palestinians in the West Bank.
Abbas told Sullivan the tax revenues “will be for our people in the Gaza Strip. They are a priority, and they will not be abandoned,” according to the readout from his office.
The US has sought to coax Israel into walking back the decision, highlighting the efforts by the PA security forces to maintain stability in the West Bank since October 7 and warning that taking steps to facilitate its collapse risk opening a second front in the West Bank. To date, Netanyahu has shown no signs of budging on the matter, bowing to his far-right coalition partners who have long advocating in favor of dissolving the PA.
The rest of the PA readout regurgitates talking points about the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza; the need to reopen of all crossing into Gaza to provide civilians there with more humanitarian aid; Israeli “aggressions” against Palestinians in the West Bank; the “abuse” of Palestinian prisoners; a rejection of displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the a warning about the “silent annexation” and displacement taking place in the West Bank
“There must be serious intervention by the American administration to prevent such policies that violate international law,” Abbas told Sullivan, according to the readout.
Abbas also raised the PA’s desire to obtain full-member status at the UN, to hold an international peace conference and for a two-state solution with Israel.
No readout is immediately issued by the White House.