Palestinian Candidate Warns of West Bank "Explosion" Over Frozen Funds
Translated & summarized from Channel 9 by baba
Palestinian legislative candidate Ahmad Shadid warned of a West Bank "explosion" and urged Israel to release over $6 billion in frozen tax revenues. He also highlighted unemployment and called for a two-state solution, while Israeli data contradicts his claim of no attacks on Israelis.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Palestinian candidate warns of West Bank "explosion" over frozen funds.
- Candidate demands Israel release over $6 billion in withheld tax revenues.
- Unemployment is a major issue, with rates reported at 27.9% and 32%.
- Candidate advocates for economic development and a two-state solution.
- Israeli data indicates thousands of attacks on Israelis in 2023-2024.
Ahmad Shadid, a candidate for the Palestinian Legislative Council and head of the "Al-Finik" (Phoenix) list, has warned of a potential "explosion on the West Bank" if Israel does not release frozen tax revenues. In an interview with The Jerusalem Post following his list's registration, Shadid urged Israel to transfer the withheld funds, which he stated exceed $6 billion according to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Shadid identified combating unemployment and reforming Palestinian state institutions as the primary tasks for future Palestinian leadership. He proposed developing agriculture and industry to create tens of thousands of jobs, even with limited resources, and called for the removal of restrictions that exacerbate the economic crisis. Israel canceled entry permits for approximately 140,000 Palestinian workers after the October 7th Hamas attack, significantly impacting tourism and the hospitality sector. A UN report indicated that 96% of businesses saw a decline in activity, and 42.1% reduced staff, leading to a loss of 306,000 jobs and a 32% unemployment rate in the region. Israel began withholding funds in 2018, equivalent to payments made to Palestinians convicted of attacks against Israelis, a practice Israel refers to as "pay-for-slay." Regarding security, Shadid stated his list prioritizes negotiations and called for international pressure on Israel to achieve a two-state solution. This contrasts with data from Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, which recorded 10,264 attacks, including rock-throwing and Molotov cocktails, in 2023-2024, resulting in 57 deaths and 413 injuries.