Germany will deliver emergency financial assistance to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan said, warning the body was close to collapse after Israel withheld tax revenues.
"The Palestinian Territories are facing a critical tipping point that will determine whether there will be anything left to recognize in the future," Alabali Radovan told the Tagesspiegel newspaper in remarks published on Saturday.
She said "the federal government is therefore in agreement that we want to provide emergency financial aid to the Palestinian Authority."
Alabali Radovan, who recently visited the region, said it became clear that the PA was on the verge of collapse. She said this was because the Israeli government, which collects customs duties and taxes on behalf of the PA under the 1990s Oslo peace accords, has not transferred tax revenues since May.
Alabali Radovan also described the situation in the Gaza Strip as "absolutely shocking."
The PA, led by President Mahmoud Abbas and headquartered in the West Bank, has struggled with financial difficulties for some time. Abbas also faces dwindling support among the Palestinian population. The PA receives international aid, including from the European Union.
