A series of small Israeli measures intended to bolster the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority are now in effect after a delay of more than a month, the Times of Israel said.

A senior official in the National Security Council explained to the newspaper, “The Israeli authorities gave final approval this week to reduce the fees that Jerusalem imposes on Ramallah for transporting fuel, from three percent to 1.5%; to raise the percentage of revenue that it transfers to Ramallah from the fees it receives.” of travelers at the Allenby border crossing between the West Bank and Jordan; and expanding the list of tax-exempt imports it processes on behalf of the Palestinian Authority.”

The official indicated that "the first two procedures will be implemented in April," noting that "the list of tax-free imports will be updated at the next meeting of the joint Israeli-Palestinian Economic Committee. The updated list will enable the Palestinian private sector to import specific goods at a predetermined rate while exempting customs." or reduce it.”

According to the newspaper, the Joint Economic Committee was established under the Oslo Accords as an official body to adjudicate financial disputes and promote joint economic initiatives. However, the committee has not met since 2009 amid deteriorating Israeli-Palestinian relations. And the Biden administration announced last July that Israel had agreed to reconvene the committee, although no date has been set for its meeting.

The Palestinian Authority has been calling for the three measures for years, and they are now finally being implemented against the backdrop of constant pressure from the Biden administration, in addition to two Israeli-Palestinian regional summits held in Aqaba, Jordan, and Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, which aimed to ease tensions, according to the newspaper.

The Aqaba and Sharm el-Sheikh summits brought together senior Israeli, Palestinian, American, Egyptian and Jordanian officials in the first gatherings of this kind in decades, with political and security representation from all participants. Israel and the Palestinian Authority committed to delaying unilateral measures opposed by the other side for three to six months. The two sides also agreed to meet again in Sharm el-Sheikh in April, although an Egyptian official expressed doubts about holding the third meeting by the end of the month, given that no date has been set, according to the newspaper.

She said, "A week and a half before the Aqaba meeting on February 26, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leaked its approval of the three measures mentioned above, and considered them as part of its efforts to improve the financial situation of the Palestinian Authority before the holy month of Ramadan, which began in late March. But after A month passed without any of the steps being implemented. A Palestinian Authority official and a US official in late March blamed Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for failing to sign on to the steps. Smotrich's office at the time declined to comment on the matter.

She noted, "Earlier this month, Israel implemented another commitment aimed at facilitating the livelihood of Palestinians when it began operating the Allenby crossing almost around the clock, after more than a year of pressure from the Biden administration. The crossing is mainly used by Palestinians who are banned from using the airport." Ben Gurion International.

Following the fulfillment of the pledge regarding the Allenby crossing, the US ambassador to Israel, Tom Naides, said he is "focused on expanding 4G cellular network coverage for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, who currently receive 2G and 3G service, respectively." According to the newspaper

The initiative has moved slowly, according to Israeli and US officials, but Naides said he is determined to implement it in the coming months. "I want to get it up and running on their phones by the end of the year."

He is also working on securing funding that was pledged last year from several Arab countries for the East Jerusalem Hospital Network. The United States announced $100 million in funding during Biden's visit, and said the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia would match that amount with $25 million each, but the UAE alone has made donations since then, according to the newspaper.

Naides also revealed that he is working on operating the power plant in Jenin after years of preparation, and he hopes that it will be ready to provide nearly 50% of electricity to the Palestinians by the end of the year as well.