With Palestinian Tax Revenue Unfrozen, I Can Get The Yacht I Wanted

If any members of the press wish to discuss the ongoing misery of the Palestinian people, feel free to visit me on my new 60-foot beauty.

By Saeb Erekat, Palestinian negotiator

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to finally release the tax revenue Israel collects for the Palestinian Authority is certainly an important step in reducing tension, one that never should have been necessary – but it carries even more importance than the mere political, since those millions of dollars are now available for me and other Palestinian officials to spend at will. Me, I’ve got my eye on a new yacht.

The entire time Israel refused to hand over the money that, under the Oslo agreements, it collects on our behalf, the Palestinian Authority has been restricted in its spending. We’ve had to make some tough decisions on priorities. Let me tell you, it’s no picnic having to limit Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah’s stay at that five-star resort in Gaza to only a few days, when he and his entourage could have really enjoyed themselves for much longer. And having to cut infrastructure maintenance expenditures in order to keep payments to the families of suicide bombers at 100% makes everyone uncomfortable. So gaining this bit of fiduciary breathing room really helps us maintain our customary practices.

Which brings me to that yacht. For a while there I was afraid I’d have to make do with some secondhand boat that some sheikh almost never used. It reached the point that I had basically resigned myself to looking at what was available along the French Riviera. That would have been shameful. Imagine me, a respected international dignitary, lounging on the deck of a yacht I didn’t even commission? But that disaster has been averted, thanks in no small part to American pressure on Israel. I can now calmly and resolutely browse more extravagant yacht options worthy of my stature. This is a pattern that I could get used to.

The issue here is obviously much broader than merely tens of millions of dollars in tax revenue. I do hope none of the donor nations decide to do a serious audit of how the Palestinian Authority uses their funds, which amount to a lot more. An actual accounting would confront those nations – and the European Union as  whole – with the sobering reality that embezzlement, corruption, and incitement to violence are pillars of our proto-state. Of course it is possible, even likely,  that they know all this already and still keep sending money. Another pattern I could get used to. And already have.

If any members of the press wish to discuss the ongoing misery of the Palestinian people, feel free to visit me on my new 60-foot beauty.

I’ve named her the Karine B. Isn’t she lovely?