IPAAR
Palestinian Misrepresentation and Falsification of the Oslo Accords Tax Provisions
Maurice Hirsch, JCPA
3.11.24
Image Source:
Headquarters of the Palestine Monetary Authority (Photo: PMA)
The Oslo Accords established economic commitments between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to promote peace. Despite Israel collecting substantial taxes on behalf of the PA, funds have reportedly been diverted to activities undermining peace, including terror support. Israel should consider reassessing tax waivers, adopting performance-based criteria for future transfers.
The Israel-Palestinian Oslo Accords (1993-1995) established agreed-upon, reciprocal economic and financial commitments to strengthen and enhance their interest in achieving a “just, lasting and comprehensive peace.”1
To this end, Israel agreed to waive certain taxes in favor of the Palestinian Authority (PA), assuming that their reciprocal economic and financial commitments agreed to in the Oslo Accords would contribute to their peaceful relations.
Based on this commitment, since 2010 alone, Israel has collected over 107.5 billion shekels on behalf of the PA.
Rather than using this tax income to promote peace, the Palestinians have used the money to fund a host of different policies and campaigns that fundamentally breach their commitments in the Oslo Accords, including, inter alia, incitement of terror, the “Pay-for-Slay” terror reward policy, promoting Palestinian statehood, and using international fora to hound Israeli officials.
In their attempt to falsify and misrepresent the Oslo Accords, the Palestinians are now claiming that the agreed-upon taxes are “Palestinian monies” stolen by Israel.
In light of these actions, which are tantamount to a unilateral and unauthorized alteration of the Palestinian commitments according to the Oslo Accords, Israel should reconsider its position regarding the tax waivers and adopt performance-based criteria as a precondition for any future transfers.
