Israel’s defence minister wants release of tax revenues to West Bank, Finance minister says no

Tel Aviv: Tensions within the Israeli government escalated as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich clashed over the transfer of West Bank tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Gallant urged the immediate disbursement of funds collected by Israel on behalf of the Palestinians in areas under direct Israeli control, emphasizing the importance of maintaining stability in the West Bank during the current unrest.

Gallant called for the funds to be used by the Palestinian Authority's operational mechanism and sectors dedicated to counter-terrorism efforts.

In response, Finance Minister Smotrich, representing a hard-line religious nationalist party with strong settler support in the West Bank, opposed the release of funds, accusing Palestinians in the West Bank of supporting a recent Hamas attack on Israel.

Smotrich declared that he would not allow Israel to finance those who allegedly backed terrorism. The dispute over the transfer of funds highlights longstanding tensions over the financial arrangement outlined in interim peace accords, which mandate the monthly transfer of taxes to the Palestinian Authority.

This clash is not the first between Gallant and Smotrich, who previously found themselves at odds when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu initially sacked Gallant for opposing the government's controversial plans to overhaul the judiciary.

Netanyahu later reversed the decision due to substantial public opposition. The current disagreement adds another layer of complexity to the Israeli government's challenges, both in managing internal divisions and navigating the ongoing conflict in Gaza.