Barak approves social security payments to Gaza residents
In a goodwill gesture Israel will transfer NIS 25 million to Gaza residents who were employed in Israel.
By Akiva Eldar Tags: Ehud Barak Israel news Gaza Middle East peaceAs a goodwill gesture, Defense Minister Ehud Barak has authorized the annual transfer of NIS 25 million to Gaza Strip residents entitled to social security and pension payments from Israel.
Since ties between Israeli banks and Palestinian banks in the Gaza Strip were severed following the Hamas takeover in the Strip and the declaration of the area as a "hostile entity," there have been serious difficulties in transferring funds to approximately 1,000 beneficiaries who were employed in Israel in the past and currently live in the Gaza Strip.
The proposal for creating a new mechanism for the transfer of the funds was prepared by a staff headed by the government coordinator of activities in the territories, Major General Eitan Dangot, and including representatives of the Justice Ministry, the Israel Money Laundering and Terror Financing Prohibition Authority, the treasury, the National Insurance Institute, the Bank of Israel and security officials.
Relevant officials in the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah have expressed willingness to oversee the process of money transfers. The social security and pension payments will be made monthly by the Palestinian Authority to a list of beneficiaries, and the money will be deposited in Ramallah-based banks, who will in turn transfer the money to banks in the Gaza Strip.
On Saturday night, the Palestinian Authority received an updated version of the Israeli proposal for its final authorization, and the Palestinians will begin preparing for the operation of the money transfer mechanism. The mechanism will enable the PA to bolster somewhat its links to the Gaza Strip and improve its standing in the region.
It was reported during the weekend that Barak had informed United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that Israel would be willing to pay $10.5 million to compensate for the damage caused to the UN buildings and property in the Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead. This would be the first time that Israel pays compensation for damage caused during the operation.
According to a BBC report, the decision to pay compensation followed months of discussions, and Barak relayed the decision personally to the UN chief, presenting it as a gesture of good will toward the organization.
The secretary general is scheduled to report to the UN General Assembly on the implementation of the decision of November 3, 2009, in which Israel was required to investigate claims in the report by Richard Goldstone on the fighting in the Gaza Strip and allegations of violations of the rules of war and international law during Operation Cast Lead.
The UN resolution granted Israel and the Palestinians three months to carry out internal investigations and report to the UN on their findings. If Israel continues to refuse to carry out such an investigation, the matter may be referred to the Security Council.
The U.S. has pressured Israel on this matter, hinting that it would be difficult to prevent the process by use of its veto power at the Security Council.
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Defense Minister Ehud Barak. |
| Photo by: (Archive) |
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What puzzles me is why Barak, Israel's DEFENCE minister is the one making financial decisions (for Gaza). Can anyone explain?
Paying someone part of the money the are owed is not a "goodwill gesture", nor is compensating for property destroyed in a brutal war.
Does Israel have so much extra money that they can afford to hand out millions to gazans? Know why they don't work in Israel anymore? Cuz they decided to start an idiotic intifada, that's why. Their choice, their loss, why in the world does Israel compensate them for it? This is why the conflict rages on, not because of pal terrorism but because of the Israeli govt's stupidity, instead of handing out free money they should be bringing their enemy to its knees! Shame on you, Barak!
should be undertaken because the IDF's attitude should change. As the case in Haiti shows, people are people. I know that the enemy is determined to resist, as is its G-d given right, (Hashem gives people that power, it is written in Torah), but this is not an excuse to lose all sense of humanity. I may as well have been on the receiving end, because I suffered both ways that year, as G-d is my witness. It's like being abused by your upstairs neighbor, and you cannot defend yourself, because to them you are just a worm, not even a human being worthy of being taken into consideration. Until that attitude changes, theree is no such thing as peace.
It couldn't much worse, but I have a bad feeling it will. Gestures to Hamas now!
That is exactly what your government does with your taxes, except for the money sent to Swiss bank accounts.
Barak doesn't just give money away for nothing. Goodwill to 0.06% of the population - or payment for services (being) rendered?
Most people pay what they owe. Why praise Israel for doing just that? I am surprised to know that any Palestinian is entitled to a pension from Israel, even if they worked for an Israeli company and paid all their dues. Holders of East Jerusalem ID lose their health insurance and pension entitlements if they move out of East Jerusalem, even if they have paid contributions all their life.
Israel has abducted 7,000 Palestinians(including children). They sit in prison without trial. Most are innocent. Shalit is part of an abusive occupying force. He has no more right to be free than most of those Palestinians. Shalit has nothing to do with social security payments.
It is part of a contract of work and due to the workers. Why make a performance of the payment of dues people are entitled to according to law? Should they now kiss the ground in gratitude for the supposed 'generosity'?
This is an interesting development. Let the criticism be. If the Israeli government is setting up an entire bureaucracy to pay its bills, let it be. If they want to call it a gesture, so what?
Ehud, you in your multi million dollar Tel Aviv penthouse-how dare you give these millions to feed terrorists when tens of thousands of Israeli kids, Jews and Arabs, go hungry! Your $11,000,000 apartment should be seized and sold by the govt and the proceeds used to feed our children, not terrorists!
I am an Australian and if I leave Israel I lose my pension benefits. Why dosn't this apply to Gazans? Gaza is not Israel, just like Australia.I think our government is quite mad and with the money to the UN is out of control. Or were we lied to and Cast Lead was not in return for 8 years of rockets.
Hamas will give the recipients 50% and use the rest to build rockets.
Does Barak really think individuals will get this money? Does Hamas still have Gilad Shalit?
We give and give, and the enemy in Gaza have kept kidnapped Shalit for over 3 years without even a visit from the Red Cross. And as a previous commentator said, who knows if the money we paid over will ever be in the hands of the legal beneficiaries.
It's not exactly goodwill if its something that was theirs in the first place, is it now?
They are never returned in kind... It simply makes the pals believe their futile resistance is working.. It's THEIR turn for a good will gesture,like returning Gilad Shalit!!
To do otherwise would be outright theft, which Israel has proven itself to be very adept at.
if I borrowed money from the bank, does the act of paying back what I owe fall under "goodwill gesture"? of course not!, that money belongs to the bank, same with the money Israel is withholding.
Since when paying what is due becomes a gesture of goodwill?
A lousy 25m nis or 6 million dollars doesnt begin to compensate for the death and damage Israel has casued the Gazans. Now that they paid the pension and the 10m to the UN , I guess that gets them off the hook for war cromes. I hope they added in the interest on those late pension payments.
interest owed? While the 'prison gates' to Gaza are open how about Israel also transfer the American pledged construction materials and basic needs for Gaza residents? (Reference: Ma'an News)
Occupation never succeeds!
And into the hands of those deserving it?
If Israel cannot hold out any longer, comply and call it "good will".