The Occupation Studies Imposing Personal and Economic Sanctions on Palestinian Authority Leaders

SadaNews Translation: Following increasing international recognition of the Palestinian state, the Israeli Army Radio revealed that senior security officials in Israel have recommended imposing a series of personal and economic sanctions on Palestinian Authority leaders, including restricting their freedom of movement and income sources.

The radio reported, as translated by SadaNews, that these recommendations came as part of Israel's study of response measures following the recognition of the Palestinian state by several countries in recent days, indicating that the final decision regarding these measures will be made later by the Israeli political level.

According to the Israeli Army Radio, the security recommendations include imposing strict restrictions on the freedom of movement of senior Palestinian Authority officials, including President Mahmoud Abbas, Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh, and others, by reducing their movement within the West Bank and preventing them from using the Allenby crossing (the Karama crossing) as usual. It clarified that these officials currently move freely within secured convoys and are protected by the Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet), but the proposed measures would force them to remain in Ramallah or significantly restrict their movements within the West Bank.

The recommendations also include, according to SadaNews translation, imposing economic sanctions targeting the personal interests of senior officials by monitoring the goods their families import from abroad, which generate significant financial profits for them, potentially harming their businesses and direct income sources.

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

The radio quoted senior security officials as saying: "These steps are appropriate and correct beyond dispute, and it is impossible to coexist with a situation in which senior Palestinian Authority officials cause us irreversible harm on the international stage."

According to the Israeli Army Radio: "In contrast, the Israeli security establishment recommended not to take measures that might affect the wider Palestinian public, such as imposing restrictions on freedom of movement on West Bank roads, harming the financial and banking system of the Palestinian Authority, or revoking thousands of permits granted to Palestinian workers entering Israeli territory for work."