Palestinian Economy Minister Khalid Al-Esseily announced Saturday that his government is working with international institutions to confront companies operating in Israeli settlements.
Since entering office in January, the Israeli government has approved plans to build thousands of new homes in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and has facilitated measures to further construct settlement houses.
It also passed a resolution that gives practically all control over planning approval for construction in West Bank settlements to Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also said he would not freeze Jewish settlement building in the occupied West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
On Saturday, Al-Esseily told the Arab World News Agency that the UN Human Rights Office removed 15 companies from its blacklist of businesses operating in West Bank settlements and in Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem after they stopped their activities in those communities.
He said there are efforts to add two new companies to the list.
Last month, the UN Human Rights Office said these 15 companies no longer had ties with settlements. However, most of the international companies on the original list of 122 still remain.
The siege on the Gaza Strip, imposed for more than 17 years, has negative repercussions not only on the enclave, but on all of Palestine, Al-Esseily stressed, lamenting the low number of international donations.
He added: “Unfortunately, there is no support from the Arab world, except from a few countries, such as Algeria, which paid $54 million last year, and about $100 million in 2021.”
He indicated that Israel's deduction of approximately 260 million shekels per month from clearance funds led to an increase in the already existing deficit in the Palestinian Authority's budget.
Therefore, Al-Esseily called for activating the Arab safety net to deter Israel's economic measures imposed on Palestinians.
Despite the dire economic situation, Al-Esseily said the Palestinian Territories reported a growth of 3.6 percent in 2022, and of 7 percent in 2021. He expected the growth to reach 3 percent in 2023.
