The Israeli cabinet approved the deducting of allowances of Palestinian prisoners and families of Palestinians killed by Israel from Palestinian tax revenues. The Israeli Security Cabinet approved a recommendation by Defense Minister Benny Gantz to freeze 597 million shekels (over USD 180m) of what he called “indirect support for terrorism” in 2020. The decision was made following a report submitted to the Defense Ministry stating that the Palestinian Authority transferred the same amount in 2020 as allowances to the families of ‘terrorists’ imprisoned in Israel or those who died while carrying out attacks on Israeli targets. Under the interim peace agreements (between the PNA and Israel), Israel collects hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes for the Palestinian Authority, and tax transfers are a major source of funding for Palestinians. Israel has long objected to the ‘Martyrs’ Fund’, which Palestinians say is a type of social welfare system designed to help families affected by the conflict. But Israel, which has described the regime as ‘paying for slaughter,’ says such benefits serve as rewards and incentives for violence. The Cabinet said that the monthly funds from payments transferred by Israel to the Palestinians will be frozen. For further details, click here