The Israeli treasury has withheld NIS 31bn ($8bn) since 1970 from Palestinian workers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Authority (PA) Working Minister Mamoun abu-Shahla revealed on Tuesday.

The Israeli treasury owes this money to around three million Palestinian workers working in Israel over the past 46 years, the minister said, according to QudsNet news website.

Although Israeli law equates Palestinian workers with Israeli workers, the Israeli authorities ignore the rights of the Palestinians, he said.

Like the Israeli workers, the Palestinians are subject to seven deductions imposed by the Israeli treasury, but unlike the Israelis, the Palestinians are not entitled to benefit from these deductions by receiving pensions and child allowances, for example.

Abu-Shahla said that the PA is working forcefully to regain this amount of money through its cooperation with the International Work Agency and other international bodies.

Source: middleeastmonitor.com