No more taxes on books

The Palestine National Authority cabinet decided to cancel the VAT imposed on all sorts of imported books in order to decrease their prices and encourage Palestinians to read more books, sources in Ramallah said Friday.

The 17 percent VAT was canceled because the PNA wants to repair the damage caused to Palestinian cultural and educational life throughout the past 27 years of Israeli military occupation, said Yihya Yakhluf, director-general of the Palestinian ministry of culture.

Palestinian sources noted the decision was taken in time to benefit the organizers of a book fair that is due to open in Bethlehem on the West Bank between 20 and 30 November in which publishers from the Arab world and foreign countries are expected to take part.