Israeli policies may lead to Palestinian Authority collapse, Shin Bet warns

By Abdelraouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – The Israeli government policies against the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the occupied West Bank may lead to its collapse, the Shin Bet domestic security agency warned on Thursday.

The Shin Bet sent a "strategic warning" to the Israeli political leadership that the PA may economically collapse due to measures taken by Tel Aviv in recent years, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported.

According to the newspaper, far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich is publicly working against the PA.

Such policies, the Shin Bet warned, could contribute to strengthening the Hamas group in the West Bank.

The newspaper, citing a security source, said the PA collapse will lead to chaos and jeopardize the existing stability in the West Bank.

“Israel is pursuing a de facto policy of weakening the PA by refusing to bring workers into Israel, deducting tax revenues and more,” the source said.

Last month, the PA paid only 50% of salaries to civil servants following an Israeli decision to withhold tax revenues from the Ramallah-based authority.

The tax revenues – known in Palestine and Israel as maqasa – are collected by the Israeli government on behalf of the PA on Palestinian imports and exports and Israel in return earns a commission of 3%.

The revenues are estimated to total around $188 million every month and represent the main source of income for the PA.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar