Angry on the Palestinian Authority, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his forum of eight senior ministers decided (1.11) to initiate a new wave of settlement construction in the West Bank. This is one of a wider set of sanctions Israel decided to impose on the Palestinian Authority after Palestine was accepted to UNESCO as a member.

The eight senior ministers also decided to suspend the transfer of tax money which Israel has collected for the Palestinian Authority in October. The money, which amounts to more than NIS 300 million, was supposed to be transferred to the Palestinian Authority before the Eid al-Adha holiday, when the money was to be used to pay the salaries of policemen and clerks of the Palestinian Authority.

Moreover, the eight ministers also decided to no longer allow UNESCO missions into Israel, and to examine the possibility of revoking the VIP status of senior Palestinian officials which allows them to pass through checkpoints.

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas responded to the decision, saying that Israel had decided “to speed up the destruction of the peace process” by deciding to accelerate the construction of settlements on land, where the Palestinians aim to found an independent state.

UNESCO is the first UN agency that the Palestinians sought to join as a full member since Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas applied for full membership of the United Nations on Sept. 23.

The motion to admit the Palestinians was passed at a UNESCO meeting in Paris (31/10) with 107 votes in favor, 14 against and 52 abstentions.

The United States, Canada and Germany voted against Palestinian membership. Brazil, Russia, China, India, South Africa and France voted in favor. Britain abstained.