Ramallah: The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has called on the international community to exert pressure on the Israeli occupation to release funds withheld from the Palestinian people immediately.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a press statement on Friday, stating that the withholding of Palestinian funds is part of a broader strategy against the Palestinian people's cause and their aspiration to establish an independent state. The withholding of funds was discussed in an emergency meeting held by the Palestinian Cabinet on Thursday, focusing on the severe repercussions it has on the Palestinian government's ability to provide essential public services.
The cabinet's press release on Thursday highlighted the grave threat posed to the health, education, and social protection sectors due to the continued withholding of clearance revenues. "This financial strangulation has severely undermined the government's capacity to meet its core obligations, most notably in the healthcare sector, where acute shortages of medicines and medical supplies pose an imminent risk of systemic collapse," the statement noted.
The Palestinian leadership, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, is reportedly engaged in intensive political and legal efforts to recover the withheld funds and protect Palestinian rights. The cabinet urged the international community to take decisive action, with a particular call on the United States and France, urging them to leverage their roles as signatories of international agreements to compel Israel to meet its obligations.