U.S. to Monitor How Palestinian Authority Uses Funds
Israel has agreed to consider releasing Palestinian tax funds collected by Israel to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on the condition that the United States monitor how the PA uses the funds, according to a joint statement between Israel and the United States released by the White House October 16, 2002.
The funds will be released on the unequivocal condition that the United States monitor the PA's use of the funds to make sure that they are spent only for economic and civil activities and do not support terrorist activity, according to the joint statement.
Following is the text of a joint statement:
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
October 16, 2002
Joint Statement Between the United States of America and Israel
As part of the effort to further Palestinian reform, the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Israel agreed that the Government of Israel would consider favorably the gradual return and scheduled transfer of all PA tax funds collected by Israel on the unequivocal condition that there would be full U.S.-led monitoring to ensure that these funds will only be used for the economic and civil activities of the Palestinian community and to prevent the use of these funds for terrorist activity of any kind.
U.S. Department of State