Israel sought $1 billion IMF loan for Palestinians

[King_David]

(AFP) – 13 hours ago

JERUSALEM — Israel sought a $1 billion IMF bridging loan for the Palestinian Authority earlier this year, but was turned down, an Israeli newspaper said Monday in a report confirmed to AFP by a senior Israeli official.

Haaretz reported that Israel's central bank chief Stanley Fischer approached the International Monetary Fund for the money after discussing the Palestinian Authority's financial crisis with Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad.

Sometime after the IMF's annual conference in mid-April, Fischer asked the body for the loan, which Israel would have taken on the Palestinians' behalf.

Israel would then have transferred the money to the Palestinian Authority (PA) headed by president Mahmud Abbas, which would have repaid the money to the Israeli government.

Israel would have remained responsible for repaying the loan to the IMF, under the deal, but the institution eventually declined to make the loan available


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gEjiMcwlEdyaJBUcYQV58bqnwIZg?docId=CNG.5a68850480a01fb7349833bd9c847954.51

[COLGATE4]

1. But..But..But...

don't those horrible Israelis all hate Palestinians?

[shaayecanaan]

2. Arab states pledge $100 million per month to Palestinian Authority

Arab states on Saturday pledged to provide the Palestinian Authority with $100 million each month as a back-up if Israel withholds tax revenues, official PA media said.

The decision was taken at the meeting of the Follow-up Committee for the Arab Peace Initiative in the Qatari capital on Saturday, PLO official Saeb Erekat told PA news agency Wafa.

He said President Mahmoud Abbas had made the request to the foreign ministers present to stave off financial crisis if Israel repeats past bars on tax revenues owed to the authority, which are collected by Israel on the PA's behalf.

Israel froze the transfer of tax revenues to the PA, amounting to around $100 million per month, twice in 2011, when Hamas and Fatah leaders agreed to end their four-year division.

http://www.americantaskforce.org/daily_news_article/2012/06/03/arab_states_pledge_100_million_month_pa

[King_David]

3. Empty Pledges

'The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank has been suffering a financial crisis for at least the past year, as pledged funds from Arab nations have failed to materialise, leaving the government unable to pay wages and bills.'

[shaayecanaan]

9. A bit like Israel's

you'd think that if they actually gave a hoot they wouldnt freeze the tax revenues to the PA.

[King_David]

11. Seems like the Palestinians

Are getting screwed by Israel sometimes
( no surprise)

And also just as badly by their Arab Brothers ( no surprise )

[shaayecanaan]

12. Thats about the size of it (nt)

[azurnoir]

4. Interesting more from the OP

While Israel has at times contributed to the crisis, Palestinian officials say, by suspending the transfer of tax and tariff revenues it collects on behalf of the PA, it is also eager to avoid the security deterioration that could accompany a financial collapse of the government in the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "is interested in preventing a situation whereby the PA collapses financially, which is liable to have a very negative impact on the West Bank security situation," an Israeli official told Haaretz

so apparently Israel wanted the money so that the PA could continue at least some of the human rights abuses and political repression we hear Israel's 'liberal' supporters accusing the Palestinians of, which of course makes this a win-win situation for those 'liberals' that oppose a Palestinian state

thanks for this revealing OP

[King_David]

5. some 'creative thinking' nt

[azurnoir]

6. not really quotes from your OP n/t

[King_David]

7. Was not talking about the quote

Was talking about the creative thinking stuff underneath.

[azurnoir]

8. oh okay then are you claiming it is untrue no one here on DU has ever claimed that the Palestinians

politically oppress against their own people?

[bemildred]

10. It's a conumdrum.

It would have been interesting if Abbas had carried out his "threat" to dissolve the PA.