Hebron – Ma’an – Despite the confirmation of the head of the Monetary Authority, Firas Melhem, that banks will carry out cash transactions for companies without setting a ceiling, in accordance with compliance rules, managers and employees of gas stations in Hebron were unable today, Monday, to deposit the money they wanted. In their bank accounts.
A fuel station manager, who refused to reveal himself, stated that he went to three different banks in Hebron, with the aim of depositing a large sum of money, but he was surprised by the banks’ refusal, and after strenuous efforts he was able to deposit only 150 thousand shekels, and this amount does not cover the bill for fuel purchases from Petroleum Authority.
The owner of a gas station also said that he was able to deposit 200,000 shekels out of the one million value of the authority’s bill.
Samer Abu Hadid, spokesman for the gas stations on this issue, said that the station owners are feeling great concern, in light of the banks’ reluctance and reluctance
to enable them to exercise their right to replenish their accounts with money.
Abu Hadid said to Maan’s correspondent in Hebron, ‘We express our concern about what is happening, which threatens to stop the fuel sector, and thus stop sectors such as industry and health, and may paralyze the movement of vehicles. We were surprised by the responses of bank employees, and we deplore what one of the bank managers said: ‘Let the Monetary Authority take From you deposit, we will not accept any deposit from you…’ Others accepted to deposit only 10% of the value of fuel purchases for one of the stations.
Abu Hadid added: ‘The Monetary Authority says that it has solved the problem, and the banks are still refusing to deposit money, so what will we do? We fear that this situation will continue, and thus completely destabilize life, and not the fuel sector alone. We want urgent solutions, and this disruption of interests “And the work is unbearable.”
Informed sources reported that banks suffer from a large surplus o
f the shekel currency in their coffers, due to the refusal of Israeli banks to receive the shekel currency from Palestinian banks. He said: “We heard that Israeli banks refuse to receive the shekel currency, but we have not read or seen any written refusal from Israeli banks to do so.”
The sources added that the Monetary Authority is required to oblige banks to accept cash deposits in any currency and without setting a deposit ceiling.
He pointed out that electronic wallets and electronic financial transactions are one of the future solutions, as they need a long time to convince the public, which is still forced to deal with the idea.
He hinted that pressure was being exerted by the European Union and the United States of America on the occupation government, aiming not to harm the banking system in Palestine, explaining that this was evident in the US Treasury Department’s warning to the Israeli government.
Source: Maan News Agency
