REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, RAMALLAH -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday urged the international community to exert pressure on Israel to pay back the tax revenue dues to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA).

The Palestinian leader's appeal was made in the aftermath of a meeting with World Bank representatives held in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

"Withholding our tax revenue dues leaves negative and crucial consequences on the security, social and economical situation in the Palestinian territories," said Abbas, according to the official state-run Wafa news agency.

In early January, Israel announced that it decided to withhold the tax revenue dues it usually collects from the Palestinian imports and exports, in response to the Palestinian joining of 20 agencies and treaties.

Abbas signed on joining the international treaties and agencies after the UN Security Council failed to pass an Arab-backed draft resolution that called on the council to end the Israeli occupation within three years.

Abbas thanks the World Bank's representatives for the ongoing financial and technical support provided to the PNA, either supporting its budget or financing projects, mainly reconstruction projects in the Gaza Strip.

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