The storm of benefits for the Palestinian Authority: Ganz claims - "I am not connected" | Israel today

Defense Minister Bnei Gantz claims that the defense establishment itself has nothing to do with the economic benefits that Israel provides to the Palestinian Authority.

Yesterday it was reported in "Israel Today" that tens of millions of shekels are being transferred to the Palestinians through the "Foreign Government Fund".

Meanwhile, a few months ago, MK Simcha Rotman (Religious Zionism) asked the Minister of Defense for details on the loans and advances that Ganz himself had ordered to be granted to the Palestinians.

"It is reported that the State of Israel gave the Palestinian Authority two loans, one in May 2020 and the other in August 2021, each of which amounts to hundreds of millions of shekels," Rotman writes to Gantz in March 2022. Since Gantz personally agreed with Abu Mazen on the loans and additional steps, It provides detailed information on the amounts promised and their repayment dates, and even warns that granting relief to Palestinians may be contrary to the "Offset of Terrorist Salaries" law.

Ganz's claims - and the facts

Ganz, surprisingly, denies any connection.

"After examining all the relevant factors, it was found that the issue is not parked at the door of the defense establishment," he writes to Rotman and even recommends that he "refer your application to the Ministry of Finance."

It should be noted that the letter was sent last Thursday and Gantz signed it personally.

The defense minister's remarks are inconsistent with the facts.

The Minister of Defense is the sovereign of Judea and Samaria and therefore bears central responsibility for relations with the Palestinians, including economic relations.

Ganz himself, it will be recalled, personally summed up the economic easing with Abu Mazen.

In addition, the Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria is directly subordinate to the Minister of Defense, and as revealed in "Israel Today" also secretly operates an "extra-budgetary" fund, through which NIS 100 million was transferred to the Palestinians.

MK Rotman is furious at Ganz: "This is what fraud and breach of trust look like,"

No answers are given

MK Rotman was furious at the puzzling response he received from the defense minister. 

Following the exposure of the "non-governmental fund", MK Bezalel Smutrich told Israel Today that he had known about the fund's existence for some time, and that questions he asked about its functioning had not been answered.

According to Smutrich, "the ruling does not allow the state to use for its needs the money accumulated in Judea and Samaria.

It therefore creates a terrible situation in which tax money, is transferred to the families of imprisoned terrorists, or of their families.

"This is an illegal procedure, 'Israbloff', because these money transfers were not approved by the Knesset."

Maofir Segal-Rilov, director of the "Shield for Victims of Terrorism" organization, responded: "We are surprised that while the Ministry of Finance is transferring NIS 100 million to the PA, it is delaying the approval of our bill to establish an aid fund for victims of terrorism."

The Defense Minister's Office refused to comment on Israel Today's request.

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