Netanyahu Releases 250 Million Shekel Advance to PA

After consulting with Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu released on Tuesday a 250 million shekel advance to the Palestinian Authority, due to concerns that public Arab protests against the PA may lead to anarchy in Judea and Samaria.

The money will be used to shore PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s government, and will be funneled into the various departments by PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Reports indicate that the PA is still in arrears of payment to the Israel Electric Company by 700 million shekels.

The majority of aid to the Palestinian Authority comes from the United States and European Union. Only 22 percent of the PA’s funding came from Arab donors in 2010.