PA Minister of Finance: “American aid to... PA is more than 5 billion dollars”, and terror wave being led by people “who are not receiving orders from anyone”

Headline: “During the Palestinian-American economic dialogue meeting the [PA] Minister of Finance demanded of the American side that it put pressure on Israel to fulfill its obligations”

“[PA] Minister of Finance and Planning Shukri Bishara participated in the American [-Palestinian] economic dialogue meeting held in Ramallah yesterday [May 22, 2016]…  

Bishara noted that the Israeli steps and obstacles in the field are the main reason for the slowdown in the growth of the Palestinian economy, and also the tensions in the political situation in the field. Bishara mentioned to the participants that the popular uprising (i.e., Palestinian wave of terror, 2015-2016) is being led by individual young people and children, who are not receiving orders from anyone in the political parties, and who are not exposed to incitement, as the Israeli side claims…  

Bishara noted that despite the present political situation and its negative influence on the Palestinian economy, the Palestinian government has implemented a number of successful reforms. Bishara listed the government’s achievements in everything relating to reform in the management of public finances, deficit reduction, increasing revenue, and reducing debt in the private sector – and all of this despite the decrease in foreign aid by half for three consecutive years…  

Regarding American aid, Bishara noted that the American administrations throughout the generations have been among the large donors. He added that the American aid to Palestine since the establishment of the PA is more than 5 billion dollars, and that the American side has assisted in several important areas such as health, tourism, infrastructures, the rule of law, and security.  

Bishara thanked the American side for this support, but asked the American side to reconsider its current policy regarding the reduction in aid to the Palestinian side, and called to continue to support the Palestinian economy.”

Palestinian terror wave (2015-2016) – Several months of Palestinian violence and terror attacks against Israelis, ‎including stabbings, shootings, throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails, and car rammings. The wave was at its height from October 2015 through March 2016, but one man was killed in September 2015 and sporadic attacks continued after March 2016, including a bus bombing in Jerusalem on April 19, 2016. During the terror wave, Palestinian terrorists murdered 34 people (30 Israelis, 1 Palestinian, 2 Americans, and 1 foreign worker from Eritrea) and injured 400.

Source: "Wave of terror 2015/16" http://mfa.gov.il