Palestine condemns Israeli court verdict on intifada losses

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Palestine has condemned an Israeli court ruling that ordered the Palestinian Authority to pay 5.5 million shekels ($1.5 million) in compensation for dozens of Israeli tour guides for losses incurred during the Palestinian intifada.

“This decision amounts to a piracy of Palestinian tax money,” Ahmed al-Deek, a political adviser to the foreign minister, told Anadolu.

Terming the Israeli decision as “illegitimate,” al-Deek said the Palestinian Foreign Ministry “will raise this verdict and other Israeli violations through diplomatic channels with the US administration, the EU and other countries.”

The Israeli decision was issued by the Central Court in Jerusalem on Tuesday in a lawsuit filed during the height of the Palestinian intifada 20 years ago.

Israeli tour guides argued that Palestinian attacks during the intifada caused financial losses to Israel’s tourism industry and forced many tourist facilities to shut down, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported.

In 2019, an Israeli judge blamed the Palestinian Authority for losses incurred by the tourism industry during the intifada.

The Ramallah-based authority rejects the Israeli claim, saying the army behavior during the intifada inflicted severe damage to the Palestinian economy.

At least 4,412 Palestinians were killed, 49,000 injured and 119,000 detained during the intifada (2000-2005), according to Palestinian figures.

Israeli authorities said that at least 1,137 Israelis were killed in Palestinian attacks during the intifada.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar