Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sent a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a public letter, in which he warned that steps would be taken against the Palestinian Authority in response to its actions on the diplomatic front.
In his letter issued on Thursday, Smotrich wrote: "As is known, in recent years, the Palestinian Authority has been promoting a series of unilateral moves against Israel in international bodies, such as the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice, the Security Council, and the United Nations General Assembly. A year ago, I requested a strategic discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of the existence of the PA, and to examine our relations. I argued that, given the dangerous strategic implications of the legal proceedings conducted by the PA against Israel, the damage outweighs the tactical benefits we derive from our security coordination with it and its covert operations."
"If it was possible to postpone this discussion until now and think that we could cope with the moves the PA is pursuing and prevent them from reaching a dangerous point for us, it seems that the noose is tightening around us with a series of moves the PA is promoting under the cover of the Gaza war. This is an effort to isolate Israel, to harm the IDF and the economy, and to impose a unilateral recognition of a terrorist state in Judea and Samaria and Gaza on Israel," Smotrich said.
"These days, the PA is aiding the prosecutor in the International Criminal Court in The Hague to issue arrest warrants against senior Israeli figures, a dangerous and aggressive step that is a red line," he said. "When Biden's administration abandons us in legal contexts and imposes sanctions on settlers and possibly IDF units, the Palestinians draw encouragement and legitimacy for their actions. Such is the case when European leaders use harsh tones against Israel in the context of the Gaza war."
Smotrich referred to the American threat to impose sanctions on the Haredi Netzah Yehuda IDF Battalion which Israel cautiously estimates will not happen. Through the letter to Netanyahu, Smotrich sent a message to the Americans who are still unwilling to meet with him. He said that the Palestinian Authority is promoting an arms embargo against Israel and is trying to obtain member-state status in the UN while the world discusses who will rule Gaza after the war.
"In the dangerous diplomatic and legal realm to which Israel is being pushed, the Palestinian Authority is a very active and dominant player, as is apparent from all the public and intelligence materials," he said. "We can no longer ignore this. In the current situation, I am convinced that the PA poses an immediate danger to the State of Israel, and we must bring about its downfall."
Smotrich concluded that "I am convinced, as I told you in our meeting on Passover eve, that you must publicly and unequivocally announce that if these unilateral moves are advanced, Israel will sever all ties with the Palestinian Authority and bring about its immediate downfall, and will extend its immediate and unilateral sovereignty over all the territories of Judea and Samaria. Unilateral steps will be met with unilateral steps." Furthermore, Smotrich also threatened to cease all money transfers to PA should an arrest warrant be issued for any Israeli civilian or soldier or if the UN recognizes a Palestinian state. That includes sanctioning any Israeli bank that transfers funds to the PA.
Transfer of diverted tax revenues to Norway
In January, the Security Cabinet approved a plan to transfer the garnished tax revenues of the Palestinian Authority to Norway. The plan was formulated after months of negotiation and was designed to find a solution for the funds reaching Gaza.
Smotrich refused to transfer the money to Gaza, raising concerns about the collapse of the Palestinian Authority. The Americans reached an agreement, and the funds intended for Gaza were offset to a bank account in Norway. Currently, Smotrich is threatening to cancel the arrangement and halt all funds if any arrest warrants are issued against Israelis, amid supposed considerations in The Hague to issue arrest warrants.