Taxes imposed by Israel exhaust and disturb the Jeruslemite Mahmoud al-Qadi’s life, due to his inability to pay them for many years, as a result of the difficult living and economic conditions he suffers from.

What worries al-Qadi the most, who lives in the town of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and works in the construction field, is the accumulated tax debts since 2006, until they reached 100,000 Israeli shekels.

"The living condition in Jerusalem is tragic. We can hardly provide the most basic needs for our children, but the heavy taxes, which exceed our income, imposed by Israel increase our suffering,” al-Qadi told Safa.

"Despite the difficult situation and the lack of work, the Israeli court forces me to pay 500 Israeli shekels a month to pay off the accumulated debts, as tax, traffic violations, and a television tax," he added.

"I had to pay this amount so that I would not be detained, arrested, or confiscated the property of my house and my driving license. This is the cost of staying in Jerusalem, and maintaining it, and we will remain steadfast in it no matter how the occupation persists."

The Israeli authorities deliberately search for any new means to continue their legitimate war against the Jerusalemites and achieve their goal of emptying the city of its original inhabitants, restricting them, even pursuing them for their source of livelihood, and forcing them to pay exorbitant taxes.

Taxes in Jerusalem have many names, including (property, Arnona, value-added, social security, income, television, sanitation, and improvement), all of which constitute a nightmare that constantly haunts Jerusalemites and strains their pockets, and increases their suffering in light of the tough living conditions they suffer from due to Israel measures.

These taxes are considered the most difficult and dangerous for them, as Israel is exploiting them in order to control Palestinian property in Jerusalem, according to Fakhri Abu Diab, a researcher in Jerusalem affairs.

The Israeli authorities impose taxes on Jerusalemites as a means to empty the city of its residents, and make them owe tens of thousands of dollars to Israel’s treasury.

66% of Jerusalem residents owe hundreds of thousands of Israeli shekels to Israel, due to the accumulation of these taxes and not paying them regularly, as a result of the difficult economic conditions that Jerusalem suffers from.

The most dangerous type of these taxes is the property tax, which is imposed on every Jerusalemite who owns a land or property, and is calculated at 3.5% of the value of the land.

As for the Social Security or National Insurance tax, it is imposed on every Jerusalemite from the age of 18, whether he is working or unemployed, and in the event that it accumulates and is not paid after a year, penalties are imposed on him that may amount to arrest and seizure of his property.

Israel also imposes an income tax on individuals and companies, which value ranges from 3-30%, according to Israeli law, in addition to a value-added tax that is collected at 17% of the sales value.

As for Arnona tax, which is levied on the basis of the area of the apartments and the shops and it may reach 80 thousand Israeli shekels annually, although the income of the shop owner does not reach this amount, which leads to its accumulation.

Israel aims to restrict the Jerusalemites, emigrate them from their city, to occupy them with their living conditions and how to collect these sums and pay off debts, and suffocate the economy, thus distract them from resisting the occupation and its racist measures against the city and its sanctities.

There is a television tax of 300 dollars paid annually for the use of television. In addition to the sanitation tax, improvement and development works and cleaning all streets at the expense of Jerusalemites, and even homes that Israel considers built illegally were not exempt from taxes.

In exchange for these taxes, Jerusalemites lack minimal health, education and entertainment services, parks, playgrounds, and adequate infrastructure.

A means of migration

“Israel taxes of all kinds constitute an obsession that permanently persecutes Jerusalemites, especially the income tax, which amounts to 50% of the Jerusalemite income,” the director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, Ziyad al-Hammouri, told Safa.

Israel collects taxes of 36% of the Jerusalemites budget, but in return it provides them with services only with 5% of these taxes, and 30% of the surplus money goes to the benefit of the settlements in Jerusalem.

What worries the Jerusalemite the most is the Arnona tax, as the proportion of debts amounts to millions of Israeli shekel annually because of it due to its accumulation, especially for the commercial sector.

Israel municipality does not hesitate to prosecute those unable to pay the Arnona tax, so that after issuing a court ruling, it confiscates their property, seizes their home furniture, especially electrical appliances, and seizes their accounts in banks, if any.

Whoever is unable to pay the tax imposed on him at the time, Israel municipality imposes on him cumulative benefits that sometimes reach more than the value of the property itself, and may reach hundreds of thousands of Israeli shekels.

Israel uses a policy of racial discrimination between Jerusalemites and Jews in applying the tax cuts that are entitled to those with limited income or the sheikhs and families with many children, the unemployed or the sick who are unable to work.

More than 80% of Jerusalemites live below the poverty line and this is an unprecedented percentage, according to the Israeli Department of Statistics.

The accumulation of debts on Jerusalemites raises their concerns, as it is a means and a tool to put Israel’s hands on their properties, such as what has happened in 1948 when it seized many properties in the occupied territories in 1948.