PALESTINE

Mon 10 Jul 2023 12:16 pm - Jerusalem Time

Shtayyeh: We reject the Israeli conditions to return our withheld funds

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh said, "Talking about returning our money withheld by Israel is conditional on stopping our procedures in international organizations. This will not happen, and we are continuing with that. Likewise, the issue of stopping the disbursement of what the National Authority is doing towards the families of martyrs and prisoners will not happen either."


Shtayyeh added, at the beginning of the government session, today, Monday, "President Mahmoud Abbas, and we are behind him, expressed this position on more than one occasion, that the money withheld by Israel is our money, and Israel must transfer it to us without extortion or conditions, and our people are well aware of the realities of matters." This blackmail is rejected.


Regarding the alleged Israeli facilities for the Palestinian Authority, Shtayyeh said: "The Israeli government informed us yesterday of decisions related to the Palestinian National Authority, and allegations that it wants to provide facilities to the Authority."


He added, "In the name of the Council of Ministers, we say that what is required of Israel is to stop the aggression against our people, stop the killing and settlement, stop piracy of our money, and return to a path entitled ending the occupation based on international legitimacy and international law."


Regarding the reconstruction in Jenin and its camp, Shtayyeh said: "The Palestinian government will provide, through the Ministry of Finance, 7 million shekels in aid to the city of Jenin and its two camps, of which 3.6 million shekels were spent on the municipality of Jenin last week," noting that President Mahmoud Abbas allocated 500 thousand shekels from the budget. His office is for Jenin and its camp.


He added, "The outcome of citizens' donations in the campaign called for by the Ministry of Endowments after last Friday prayers amounted to 2 million shekels. We appreciate the in-kind assistance provided by our people, including individuals, bodies, popular institutions, civil society, and municipalities, to the Jenin camp, in a scene that restored the values ​​of togetherness, solidarity, and teamwork." .


He said: "Some brotherly and friendly countries and international bodies have made donations in favor of the reconstruction of the Jenin camp and the city. We thank them all, and especially mention: the brotherly Algeria, which donated $30 million, and the UAE for its donation of $15 million (through the UNRWA Relief Agency), as well as $150,000." A dollar from Turkey and $200,000 from the ANERA Foundation, both directed to the Ministry of Health to provide medical supplies.


He added, "The government also decided to redirect one of the Arab funds' projects to pave roads inside the Jenin camp, and it was also instructed to expedite the procedures for allocating the plot of land adjacent to the cemetery in the camp.


He pointed out that the Ministry of Social Development staff is based on coordinating the efforts of charities to follow up on the conditions of families whose children have been subjected to trauma, provide them with moral and relief support, and open places to shelter the displaced until their homes are repaired, in coordination with the People's Committee in the camp.


The Prime Minister said that President Mahmoud Abbas follows up daily the work of the committees formed to deal with the effects of the Israeli aggression on Jenin camp and the city. He added, "These committees work around the clock, and we have found great damage to roads, water networks, electricity, communications, private and public buildings, and so on."


He added: "Since the first hours of the end of the aggression, the technical crews worked to restore life to the Jenin camp, where the public works mechanisms reopened the roads, removed the rubble and secured housing for those affected, and the crews of the Ministries of Local Government and Communications and the Energy Authority reconnected the electricity networks that were restored to the camp, and work is underway on Restore the water and communications networks, as citizens are supplied with water by tankers until the work is completed.


He said, "Technical teams continue to count the damages in the city and the camp, and we formed a technical committee to follow up and lead the reconstruction efforts, headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Local Government, and the membership of the relevant ministries, the Jenin Governorate, the Jenin Municipality, the Refugee Affairs Department, and the People's Committee in Jenin Camp."


He added, "We assigned this committee to lead the reconstruction scene, and to provide aid to those affected, and it was assigned to coordinate with the UNRWA agency, and with all the necessary Palestinian bodies, institutions and agencies in Jenin."


Today, the Council of Ministers will discuss: the security and civil effort, the reconstruction of the Jenin camp and city, infrastructure projects, financial and political issues, the issue of the Armenian Monastery in Jerusalem, the management of construction and demolition waste, and a set of laws, regulations and regulations.

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Shtayyeh: We reject the Israeli conditions to return our withheld funds

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