Israel releases PA funds

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday he had ordered Israel's treasury to transfer to the Palestinian Authority the rest of the tax and customs money he froze after a suicide bombing in Jerusalem.

"I decided this morning to approve the balance of the money that we suspended at the time after the attacks," Netanyahu said.

"We freed up this morning 200 million Shekels ($57 million US) and transferred it the PA," he said during his tour of an Israeli Arab town in Northern Israel, Al Ahram daily reported today.

Netanyahu released the PA money, tax and customs duties Israel is meant to remit to the PA under interim peace deals, held since two suicide bombers killed 16 Israeli in Jerusalem on July 30. A triple suicide bombing killed five Israelis in Jerusalem on September 4.