WAZIRI WA FEDHA WA ISRAELI AGOMA KUACHILIA KODI ZA WAPALESTINA

Waziri wa Fedha wa Israel, Bezalel Smotrich, amepinga shinikizo kutoka Marekani la kuachilia fedha za kodi za Wapalestina zilizokuwa zimezuiliwa na Israel, akisema kwenye mitandao ya kijamii "hata shekeli moja" haitahamishwa wakati yeye yupo madarakani.

Kauli yake ilikuja baada ya mazungumzo "yenye changamoto na kuvunja moyo" kati ya Waziri Mkuu wa Israel Benjamin Netanyahu na Rais wa Marekani Joe Biden kuhusu kuachilia fedha hizo.

"Tuna heshima kubwa kwa Marekani, mshirika wetu bora duniani, na kwa Rais Biden, ambaye ni rafiki wa kweli wa Israel," Smotrich alisema katika chapisho kwenye X.

"Lakini kamwe hatutaweka hatima yetu mikononi mwa wageni, na mimi nikiwa Waziri wa Fedha, hata shekeli moja haitakwenda kwa magaidi wa Kizayuni huko Gaza.

Kulingana na makubaliano ya awali kati ya serikali ya Palestina na serikali ya Israel, Israel ilikubali kukusanya kodi kwenye uagizaji na vitu vingine kwa malipo, kisha kusafirisha (sehemu iliyobaki) pesa iliyokusanywa kwa serikali ya Palestina. Lakini tangu serikali ya mwisho ya Israel kuundwa, pesa hizo zilizokusanywa hazijasafirishwa kwa serikali ya Palestina, licha ya wito kutoka Marekani na nchi nyingine duniani ambazo zilikuwa mashahidi wa makubaliano hayo.

English

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich pushed back against pressure by the US to release Palestinian tax funds withheld by Israel, saying on social media “not a single shekel” will be transferred while he remains in charge.

His statement came after a “difficult and frustrating” conversation between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden over the release of the funds.

“We have a lot of respect for the US, our best ally in the world, and for President Biden, who is a true friend of Israel,” Smotrich said in a post on X.

“But we will never put our destiny in the hands of foreigners, and as long as I am Finance Minister, not a single shekel will go to the Nazi terrorists in Gaza. This is not an extreme position. This is a life-saving and reality-based position.”

According to a previous agreement between the Palestinian government and the Israeli government, Israel was supposed to collect tax money on imports and other items for a fee, and then transfer the remaining collected funds to the Palestinian government. However, since the formation of the last Israeli government, these collected funds have not been transferred to the Palestinian government, despite calls from the US and other countries worldwide that served as witnesses to the agreement.