Getting tough: Israel hits back against PA’s ‘war’ against Jewish state, takes action

“The current government will not sit idly by in the face of this war and will respond as necessary,” the Prime Minister’s Office stated.

By World Israel News Staff

The security cabinet of the newly sworn-in Israeli government convened for its first meeting to decide on the response to the Palestinian Authority’s “decision to wage political and legal war against the State of Israel.”

Just over a week ago, a United Nations General Assembly resolution, submitted by the PA, called for the International Court of Justice to take legal action against the Israeli “occupation” of Judea and Samaria.

“The current government will not sit idly by in the face of this war and will respond as necessary,” read a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office read, issued on Friday.

The Cabinet approved several steps to be taken vis-à-vis the PA, the statement said. They include:

– Transferring approximately NIS 139 million from PA funds to victims of Palestinian terrorist attacks;

– Immediately offsetting the payments made by the PA to terrorists and their families in 2022, according to the report of the defense establishment;

– Placing a moratorium on Palestinian construction plans in the Israeli-administerd Area C of Judea and Samaria, following illegal takeover attempts by the PA, in opposition to international agreements;

– Denying benefits to VIPs who are leading the political and legal war against Israel.

Furthermore, “action will be taken against organizations in Judea and Samaria that promote terrorist activity or any hostile activity, including political and legal action against Israel under the guise of humanitarian work.”

“Israeli blackmailing of our tax revenues will not stop us from continuing our political and diplomatic struggle,” said Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in response to the announcement.

Following the UN vote last week, Netanyahu slammed the “disgraceful” resolution,  titled “Israeli practices and settlement activities affecting the rights of the Palestinian people and other Arabs of the occupied territories,” which was passed by a majority of 87 to 26, with 53 abstentions.

Netanyahu said the UNGA resolution would not “obligate the government of Israel”, as is the case with “the hundreds of distorted” anti-Israel resolutions before it.

“The Jewish people is not occupying its land and is not occupying its eternal capital Jerusalem. No UN resolution can distort this historical truth,” the prime minister said in a statement.