PA PM: Israel should take payments to Palestinian terrorists upon itself, according to international conventions
Headline: “Shtayyeh calls on the states of the world to recognize the Palestinian state in order to save the two-state solution”
“[PA] Prime Minister Muhammad Shatyyeh called on Switzerland, the European Union states, and the states that have not recognized Palestine to hurry and recognize the Palestinian state within the 1967 borders in order to save the two-state solution, rather than waiting until Israel annexes parts of the West Bank and afterwards publishing statements of condemnation and objection.
Shtayyeh said during his meeting with Swiss Ambassador in Palestine Julien Thöni yesterday [April 17, 2019]: ‘We will not submit due to the financial war that is being led by the US on one hand and Israel on the other (apparently refers to American Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act of 2018 and Israeli Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law; see notes below –Ed.) so that we will accept the deal of the century (refers to US President Donald Trump’s as yet unpublished Middle East peace plan –Ed.). The world powers, Arab states, and BRICS states (i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) must start working to establish a joint international work team to sponsor the peace process, in light of the deal of the century to which no one agrees.’ He added: ‘Israel, as the occupying state, must take upon itself [the payment of] the prisoners’ salaries in accordance with the international conventions and agreements, and not punish us for paying them through the deduction of the tax money, which is Palestinian money. The entire international community must pressure Israel to release this money because the deductions are illegal.’”