Israel has introduced economic sanctions on the Palestinian Authority in retaliation for their leadership signing international conventions, a move which has further jeopardised the troubled US-brokered peace talks.<br /><br />The Israeli government announced that it would deduct debt payments from tax transfers which the Palestinian Authority receives and also limit their bank deposits in Israel.<br /><br />Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned the move as “theft.”<br /><br />Peace talks were already plunged into crisis last week when Israel failed to release Palestinian prisoners as President Mahmoud Abbas signed 15 global treaties – both acts contravened agreements made last year for sitting down to negotiations.<br /><br />According to some sources there were signs that both sides still wished to extend the talks past the April 29 deadline.
