From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
US treasury secretary Janet Yellen: I urged Netanyahu to bolster West Bank economy
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says she has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take steps to shore up the West Bank’s economy by reversing steps taken after the October 7 Hamas terror onslaught in southern Israel.
“The United States has urged the Israeli government to release clearance revenue to the Palestinian Authority to fund basic services and to bolster the economy in the West Bank,” Yellen says during a press conference ahead of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting in Brazil.
“I welcome news that an agreement has been reached and that funds have started to flow,” she says of Norway’s decision to accept the Israeli framework for transferring tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority last week.
“I also recently outlined in a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a number of steps that the US believes must be taken,” she says, adding that the steps include “reinstating work permits for Palestinians and reducing barriers to commerce within the West Bank.”
“These actions are vital for the economic well-being of Palestinians and Israelis alike,” Yellen says.
