Israel has yet to fulfil a verbal promise to transfer tax revenue it is withholding from the Palestinian Authority, a senior Palestinian aide has said.
Hussein Al Sheikh, one of the closest advisers to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, said a lack of engagement with proposals discussed at a recent international summit in the Jordanian city of Aqaba to de-escalate tensions between Palestine and Israel was casting doubt over a follow up meeting scheduled in Egypt this month.
“They promised at Aqaba that they would transfer all of the funds but as of now we haven’t gotten anything,” Mr Sheikh told The Times of Israel on Saturday.
Israel collects tax revenue on the behalf of the PA. The monthly amount makes up a significant budget of the cash-strapped authority and its distribution is often a source of contention.
Mr Al Sheikh said millions of dollars were being held contrary to Israeli promises to release them. Last month, the PA said Israel had cut $78 million from the monthly revenue.
Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi told The Times of Israel in response to Mr Al Sheikh's accusation that the revenue was "not discussed at all" at the meeting, and that they were a matter for a "civil committee that was established at the [Aqaba] meeting”.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put heavy scrutiny on the arrangement, saying that funds can be sent by the PA to convicted terrorists and the families of attackers that were killed.
Mr Al Sheikh blamed in particular far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who he called a "terrorist" in response to calls from the minister that the Palestinian town of Hawara should be "wiped out".
Two Israelis were shot dead there this week, triggering a rampage by Israeli settlers in which homes and property were set on fire and one Palestinian was killed. Mr Smotrich later said his comments were a "slip of the tongue in a storm of emotions".
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
