(Communicated by the Middle Eastern Economic Affairs Dept, MFA)

Israel advanced 300 million shekels (nearly 80 million US dollars) to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Thursday, October 18, to help the PA pay salaries before the Muslim Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) festival.

This is the third time in the last few months that Israel has advanced money to the PA to enable them to pay in full the salaries owed to its employees. In July, on the eve of Ramadan, NIS 180 million was transferred while NIS 250 million was transferred on September 11.