IN THIS ISSUE
• EDITORIAL
• PLO CENTRAL COUNCIL’S RESOLUTIONS
• PA PAYS LIMITED SALARIES AS ISRAEL WITHHOLDS TAXES
• ISRAELI SETTLERS CONDUCT NON-STOP HATE CRIMES IN PALESTINE
• ISRAELI (FOREIGN) MINISTER DEFENDS BEHEADING OF ARAB ISRAELI NOT LOYAL TO ISRAEL
• RECOGNIZING PALESTINE
• EX-ISRAEL AGENTS THREATENED SOUTH AFRICA WITH CYBERATTACK

editorial
Israel has for the past twenty years hijacked all tools conducive to peace in particular negotiations by deliberately emptying them from any realistic or serious substance. Palestinians in the occupied state of Palestine suffer under Israeli military occupation, which is mounting to most brutal dictatorship for very nearly 48 years. They suffer the additional indignity of having their land stolen off them to accommodate Jewish settlers and Jewish-only settlement infrastructure. The PLO, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, On Jan. 2, moved to formally join the Hague-based International criminal court (ICC) in a process, which is due to take effect on April 1, setting the scene for potential legal action against Israeli officials responsible for all KINDS OF BRUTALITY MOUNTINMG TO WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. Expectedly, Israel, the occupying power, reacted immorally as it has done before by withholding millions of dollars in monthly tax payments it collects on behalf of the Palestinian government. Exacerbating an already severe financial crisis including salaries of more than 160 thousand employees of the Palestinian national authority. The Israeli immorality of “withholding” the Palestinian tax revenue in addition to non- stop settlement construction on a stolen Palestinian land and the inhumane blockade of Gaza – all constitute acts of theft and of collective punishments by an alleged democracy. On Jan. 16, the ICC announced “a preliminary examination” into Israel’s actions over a period beginning in June, which included last year’s war in Gaza in which about 2,200 Palestinians were killed. UN figures indicate most of the victims were civilians. The PLO, is to lodge its first complaint against Israel for war crimes at the International Criminal Court on April 1^st . The PLO is also planning to sue Israel over its policy of settlement building on land conquered by force in 1967. Under international law, all such Israeli constructions, is viewed as illegal and a major obstacle to efforts to realize the two states solution.

PLO Central Council’s Resolutions

The Palestine Liberation Organization – Central Council (highest Palestinian authority) on its 27^th meeting held in Ramallah , Palestine, between March 4^th-5^th, analyzed the current political situation given the ongoing Israeli violations and crimes against the people of Palestine as well as the lack of action from significant segments of the international community. The following major resolutions were taken: •Israel, the occupying power in Palestine, must assume all its responsibilities in accordance with its obligations under international law.  •To suspend all forms of security coordination given Israel’s systematic and ongoing noncompliance with its obligations under signed agreements, including its daily military raids throughout the State of Palestine, attacks against our civilians and properties. •To boycott all Israeli products and not only those coming from Israeli settlements. Israel must pay the price for its refusal to assume its responsibilities under international law, including the systematic denial of the Palestinian right to self-determination. •To reject all attempts to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. Palestine will not legitimize the racist policies conducted by Israel against the Palestinian people, within both Israel and the State of Palestine, just as we reject the Islamization of the region adopted by all extremist entities. •To strengthen national reconciliation in accordance with relevant agreements is a top priority in order to facilitate the reconstruction of Gaza which suffers from an illegal and prolonged blockade by Israel, the occupying power. •To hold general presidential and parliamentary elections, including the Palestine National Council, as soon as possible. •To support the Palestinian diplomatic initiatives, including accession to international treaties and organizations, while insisting that the international community assume its responsibility to hold Israel accountable for its systematic violations of international law. •The Council expresses its full support for the Higher National Committee for the International Criminal Court (ICC).  •The PLO, in coordination with the Arab League, will make use of its right to request from the United Nations Security Council to set a deadline to end the Israeli occupation on all territories occupied on June 4^th 1967 as a step towards full sovereignty and independence of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital and honoring the rights of refugees in accordance with UNGA Resolution 194.  •The Palestinian National Authority was the outcome of the national struggle of the Palestinian people to move from occupation to independence. Its institutions should be maintained and must not be dissolved. •The PLO Executive Committee will execute all resolutions made by the PLO Central Council, and will report on the progress of the implementation during the next meeting of the Central Council.

PA pays limited salaries as Israel withholds taxes
For the third month in a row, the Palestinian Authority will pay all its employees only 60 percent of their monthly wages, as a result of Israel withholding tax revenues. In early January, Israeli authorities froze the delivery of $127 million in Palestinian tax revenue, collected on imported goods, as a punitive measure in response to Palestine’s decision to join the International Criminal Court. Palestinian Finance Minister Bishara said that Israel’s freeze on Palestinian tax revenue was costing the Palestinian Authority 70 percent of its budget. While under the Oslo agreements, Israel collects Palestinian tax revenues and is supposed to deliver the funds to the PA, Israel has historically confiscated Palestinian taxes in order to put political pressure on the Palestinian government. The UN has denounced Israel’s retaliatory move of withholding Palestinian funds as illegal, while other states including the United States have objected to the move.
Source: www.maannews.net

Israeli settlers conduct non-stop hate crimes in Palestine
On the 24th/25th of February, a Mosque near Bethlehem and a Christian seminary in Occupied East Jerusalem were set on fire by Israeli settlers again and again. Dr.Hanan Ashrawi Member of the EC of the PLO. Has strongly denounced this act of vandalism of al-Huda mosque in the village of al-Jaba, west of Bethlehem, and a Greek Orthodox seminary in Jerusalem: “Such hate crimes constitute a flagrant attack on all Palestinians, whether Muslim or Christian. Added by calling on the international community to undertake immediate action and hold Israel and its illegal settler population accountable with punitive measures for these crimes and acts of religious intolerance and bigotry”. EU Heads of Missions in Palestine said: “Religiously-motivated hate-crimes and provocations by any party carry the potential to further inflame an already fragile and volatile environment.” At this delicate moment, any action undermining the stability and the prospects of a constructive way a forward need to be avoided.” UN Special Coordinator for Mideast Peace Process Robert Serry said “I am concerned by this and all other religiously motivated attacks and provocations by any party, which may further inflame an already volatile environment.” “Extremists on both sides must not be allowed to turn this conflict into a religious one.”

Israeli (foreign) Minister defends beheading of Arab Israeli not loyal to Israel
Lieberman advocated “cut off the heads” to Arabs who are not loyal to Israel. The minister’s statement sparked criticism from former diplomats Israeli and Arab Israeli citizens. “Who is with us should have everything. But who is against us, there is nothing to do. We have to raise an ax and cut off his head, or we cannot live here,” said Avigdor Lieberman to speak on Sunday, in a session to canvass near Tel Aviv.
Source: www.dn.pt

Recognizing Palestine
The Italian Parliament backed a non-binding resolution on the 27^th of February that urges the government to recognize Palestine as a state. Parliament voted by 300 to 45 to pass the motion presented by PM Matteo Renzi’s Democratic Party.(Euro News).
Source: www.euronews.com

Ex-ISRAEL AGENTS threatened SOUTH AFRICA WITH cyberattack
In 2012 the then-Finance Minister  of South Africa, Pravin Gordhan, received a letter of “unknown sources” threatening a cyber-attack “against South Africa’s banking and financial sectors.” According to the online edition of Al-Jazeera television, the hand-delivered letter gave the government just 30 days to achieve the “discontinuation of the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign and the removal and prosecution of some unidentified individuals linked to BDS”. South Africa’s ruling African National Congress has historically aligned itself with the Palestinian national struggle, and the BDS campaign there involves some high profile anti-apartheid struggle figures such as Nelson Mandela’s close friend and fellow Robben Island prisoner Ahmed Kathrada. According to the secret State Security Agency (SSA) briefing from September 2012, the authors of the letter received by Gordhan claimed to be former Israeli secret service spies “with access to various technologies and resources of the Mossad’s Electronic assault and defence division”.
Source: www.rtp.pt

For more information:
Shahd Wadi
Press and Media Officer
info@dmop.pt
+351 213 621 098