The U.S. criticized Israel for halting the transfer of tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority after President Mahmoud Abbas announced that the Palestinians will join the International Criminal Court (ICC). Photo: World Economic Forum.

JNS.org – The United States on Monday criticized Israel’s decision to halt the scheduled transfer of $127 million in tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority (PA) in response to PA President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to apply for Palestinian membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

“We’re opposed to any actions that raise tensions. And obviously, this is one that raises tensions. We call on both sides to avoid actions that raise tensions and make it more difficult to return to direct negotiations,” US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would “not sit idly by” while the PA opts “for a confrontation with the state of Israel.”

“We will not allow them to drag IDF soldiers and commanders to the International Criminal Court in The Hague,” Netanyahu said. The prime minister added that instead of Israeli officials, it is “the heads of the Palestinian Authority who struck an alliance with the Hamas war criminals who should be held accountable” by the ICC, referring to the unity agreement Abbas’s Fatah faction reached with the Hamas terrorist group last spring.