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Abbas says to go to ICC if Israel cuts Palestinian tax revenue dues

Xinhua, April 2, 2015 Adjust font size:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday that the Palestinians will take it to the International Criminal Court (ICC) if Israel decides to cut the Palestinian tax revenue dues.

Abbas made his remarks during a meeting of his Fatah Party's Central Committee he chaired in Ramallah, according to the official news agency "Wafa."

His words also came on the same day when the ICC declared that the state of Palestine has officially become one of its members.

"We don't accept what Israel dictates on us in relation to our withheld money and we want to go for arbitration in accordance to Oslo treaties and if this doesn't work, we will go then to the ICC," said Abbas.

Abbas accused Israel of cutting the Palestinian tax revenue dues were frozen by Israel since early January, adding "we rejected their decision and told them that we don't accept what they dictate."

"They have to discuss with us the percentage they want to cut from our dues," said Abbas, adding "but dictating the cuts without asking if rejected and therefore I gave instructions to those in charge not to receive the money according to what the Israelis want."

On Friday, Israel decided to release part of the withheld tax revenue it collects on behalf of the Palestinians from trade, export and import and pays it back to the treasure of the Palestinian authority.

Israel Radio reported on Tuesday that differences over debts the Israeli electricity company wants the Palestinians to pay back had delayed the transfer of three-month tax revenue dues to the Palestinian side.

The radio said the Palestinians refused any transfer of the dues to their treasury if the debts to the Israeli electricity company are cut from the dues and paid to the company.

The debts to the Israeli company of electricity worth about 102 million U.S. dollars.

In early January, Israel withheld the Palestinian tax revenue dues in response to their decision of joining 20 international agencies and treaties including the ICC. Endit