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Rabat – Israeli occupation forces conducted on early Thursday morning a series of raids on six exchange companies across various governorates in the West Bank.
The attacks saw the arrest of several exchange company owners and the confiscation of funds from secured safes that were forcibly opened during the raids.
The Palestinian Monetary Authority (PMA) strongly condemned Israel’s actions, labeling them as a deliberate attempt to erode confidence in the Palestinian banking and financial sector.
Despite being subject to regulatory oversight, the exchange companies fell victim to the Israeli military’s intrusion.
The PMA revealed that the targeted companies were under its control and supervision, emphasizing their compliance with regulatory measures.
“The Palestinian Monetary Authority considers the assault, raid, and destruction of establishments under its supervision as a violation of international norms, laws, charters, and agreements,” said the PMA in a press release.
The PMA also expressed its commitment to upholding the integrity of the Palestinian financial industry in line with international standards.
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“The Palestinian Monetary Authority affirms its commitment to implementing the latest regulatory systems in the banking sector to preserve its integrity, enhance business operations, and improve services provided to the public per international requirements and best practices,” stressed the statement.
It added that the PMA is actively monitoring the “heinous attack” in close collaboration with the relevant entities.
Meanwhile, Israel labeled the five targeted exchange offices as “terrorist organizations,” claiming that the seized funds belonged to Hamas, Anadolu Agency reported.
The Israeli occupation’s breach of Palestinian financial sovereignty comes amid widespread devastation in Gaza and the West Bank at the hands of Israeli aggression.
Since the new cycle of violence began on October 7, Israel’s bloody war on Palestinians claimed over 21,000 lives in Gaza and the West Bank. In addition, it caused massive destruction to Gaza’s infrastructure, including residential units and hospitals.
Making matters worse, the Israeli occupation forces have emphasized that their bloody war on Gaza is expected to extend over several more months.
“The war will go on for many months and we will employ different methods to maintain our achievements for a long time,” Herzi Halevi, the Chief of the General Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces, said.
