Israel considering personal and economic sanctions on Palestinian Authority leaders

Following growing international recognition of a Palestinian state, Israeli army radio revealed that senior Israeli security officials have recommended imposing a series of personal and economic sanctions on Palestinian Authority leaders, including measures affecting their freedom of movement and sources of income.

The radio said these recommendations came as part of Israel’s review of possible responses to several countries’ recognition of the Palestinian state in recent days, noting that the final decision on these measures will be taken later by the Israeli political echelon.

According to the army radio, the security recommendations include imposing strict limits on the freedom of movement of senior Palestinian Authority officials, among them President Mahmoud Abbas, Deputy President Hussein al-Sheikh and others, by reducing their movements within the West Bank and preventing them from using the Allenby Bridge (al-Karama crossing) as usual. It said these officials currently travel freely in secured convoys and receive protection from the Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet), but the proposed measures would force them to remain in Ramallah or severely restrict their movements within the West Bank.

The recommendations also include imposing economic sanctions targeting senior officials’ personal interests, by monitoring goods their families import from abroad that generate significant profits for them, which would harm their businesses and direct sources of income.

The radio reported that the Israeli security establishment is closely following the stance Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will take in his upcoming speech to the United Nations General Assembly.

The radio quoted senior security officials as saying: “These steps are appropriate and unquestionably correct, and it is impossible to live with a situation in which senior Palestinian Authority officials inflict irreparable damage on the international stage.”

According to the army radio: “By contrast, the Israeli security establishment recommended not taking measures that would affect the broader Palestinian public, such as imposing restrictions on freedom of movement on West Bank roads, harming the Palestinian Authority’s financial and banking system, or revoking the thousands of permits granted to Palestinian workers who enter Israel to work.”