Israel Seizes $120 Million in Palestinian Tax Money
Finance Minister Says Money Will Go to Power Company
The Israeli government has announced that it intends to keep $120 million in Palestinian tax money it has collected, and will give it to the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) instead of the Palestinian Authority.
The exact reason for the seizure remains disputed, depending on which official statement you believe. In some cases, Israeli officials have spun it as revenge for the successful UN recognition of Palestine, while others insisted it had something to do with Iran, and still others insisted it was simply about paying back the power company for debts accrued.
Under the terms of past agreements, Israel collects certain taxes of the behalf of the Palestinian Authority, and forwards them on. In practice Israel ends up withholding the money regularly at the slightest provocation, which means such moves hardly come across as “retaliation” so much as business as usual.
Initially founded in 1923 as the Palestine Electricity Corporation, the IEC is now a state-granted monopoly and is also 99.85% owned by the Israeli government.
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persnipoles
December 2nd, 2012 at 5:33 pm
Must be expensive to let your power go out as they bomb you…
Andrewp111
December 2nd, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Got to pay your electric bill, bitchez. Electricity ain't free, you know.
mojo
December 2nd, 2012 at 10:14 pm
Thats how they operate, a true and minded thieve/s always do the same, do you remember that guy in NY, or Golden-man Sachs.., is the same thievery, is just that the name and the amount different.
the Lion
December 2nd, 2012 at 10:21 pm
The more oppressive Israel becomes the closer they become to being sanctioned themselves.
Rich
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:06 am
I wonder if the Israelis are also stomping their feet and holding their breath. Petty thieves to boot.
Yonatan
December 3rd, 2012 at 5:35 am
Typically despicable actions by the Israelis.
curmudgeonvt
December 3rd, 2012 at 6:39 am
The leaders of the Western world have had the power and authority to have this petulant child answer for its misdeeds for years. For that lack of action, the Israelis have continued, increasing the destruction and depravity they inflict…until, eventually they will do something that even the US will not be willing to turn a blind eye. The Israelis feel like they have been justified…and those who exact justice will feel just as justified in retaliation. The Israelis are quickly running out of friends.
byrd_bahls22
December 3rd, 2012 at 7:08 am
Too bad that Uncle Sam won't stop sending Israel money. That would get their attention, ya think ?
mr correct
December 3rd, 2012 at 7:11 am
funny!!!! someone will come and take over your house and live there, and wants you to pay the electric bill. how ridiculous is that??
John Ellis
December 3rd, 2012 at 7:33 am
NEW LAW
Every slave in Palestine, everyone not allowed to go wherever they please in Palestine, they shall receive from Israel free electricity, free water, free housing, free heat and free each day at least 3,000 calories of nutritious food.
pendulum
December 3rd, 2012 at 9:40 am
the gangster's son makes a collection
RightAsRain
December 3rd, 2012 at 9:54 am
Sounds like one of the things the State of Palestine should do is to rescind or revoke any agreements that let Israel collect tax money in its name. Go back to the General Assembly or ICC with any dispute on the matter. This is obviously, and has been for some time, just an excuse for thievery.
Hopefully some of the decent states in the world will find a way to increase aid to the State of Palestine to compensate. If they currently give aid to the rogue state of Israel, they should cut that aid by this amount.
richard vajs
December 3rd, 2012 at 10:59 am
The only good thing about the State of Israel is that it absolutely without merit – one cannot possibly unjustly accuse it of any evil no matter how spectacular or banal the particular alleged crime may be. It is the absolute "brass" standard of the World – which includes some really selfish, bullying countries, one of which I am ashamed to admit is mine.
phildem
December 5th, 2012 at 7:37 am
They are like a criminal engaging in more and more egregious acts, looking for a limit.
Unfortunately the more they hide behind cries of anti-semitism, the more likely they make
it that the only response the world has left is a violent one.
This the vicious cycle that rabbinical-talmudic-shamanism has trapped them into, they either
put the world under the ban (cf. Seymour Hersh's, article on The Samson Option), or they
are driven into a last desparate pogrom.
This is the apocalyptic oubliette they have driven themselves into. A messianic one world
government will not prevent this. The Jewish people need to start policing themselves for war
criminal behavior.