The Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs has strongly denounced Israel’s intent to enact a new law confiscating Palestinian tax revenues to prevent the Palestinian Authority from using them to support families of prisoners martyrs and wounded citizens.
In a press release on Thursday head of the commission Issa Qaraqea accused the Israeli government of practicing financial extortion and pressure on the Palestinian people through its racist legislation affirming that such laws would never affect the support given for the families of prisoners martyrs and the wounded which he described as “victims of the occupation.”
“Regardless of the financial capability of the Palestinian Authority we will not forsake our prisoners martyrs and wounded citizens. Israel’s laws do not obligate us and will not prevent us from continuing to socially and financially embrace the families of prisoners martyrs and the wounded” Qareqea said.
He condemned Israel’s intended legislation as “financial piracy and flagrant theft of Palestinian funds and resources.”
“We will never bow to Israel’s goals that seek to criminalize the [legitimate] struggle of our people and put it within the framework of terrorism” the Palestinian official said.
“Our captives [in Israeli jails] are prisoners of freedom and legitimate resistance fighters according to UN resolutions and international conventions” he added.
Qaraqea appealed to the Inter-Parliamentary Union to shoulder its responsibilities in this regard and move to put an end to Israel’s racist laws that violate the dignity and human rights of the Palestinian people.
