Abbas lifts Gaza tax exemption, threatening further economic woes
After taking over administrative control of the Gaza Strip, President Mahmoud Abbas has abolished tax exemptions in a bid to get more revenue from Gaza to balance expenses, disregarding the harsh economic conditions in the besieged enclave.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree dated Jan. 3 to reinstate the collection of taxes on the Gaza Strip. This decree abolished two previous decrees — one issued in 2007 and another from 2017 — exempting all citizens in the governorates of the Gaza Strip from paying taxes and fees.
Article 3 of Abbas’ freshly issued decree states that the decree shall be submitted to the Palestinian Legislative Council in Ramallah and put to a vote in order to be endorsed at a future session.
