RAMALLAH, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye Monday said that the Palestinian Authority (PA) is holding talks with Arab countries to facilitate transfer of medical cases instead of Israel.

Ishtaye said after his weekly cabinet meeting two delegations were dispatched to discuss medical transfers to both Egypt and Jordan, in order to facilitate the passage of patients through both countries to other Arab countries for treatment rather than previous cases in which Palestinian patients were transferred to Israeli hospitals.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said last month that it had suspended medical transfers to Israel in response to Israel's PA tax deduction move.

The ministry spokesperson Osama Al-Najjar told Xinhua that the cost of medical treatment in Israel has mounted to nearly 100 million U.S. dollars annually, which is a large financial burden.

Israel had decided in February to cut the tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA, saying that the money was paid to families of Palestinians who carried out "terrorist acts" against Israel. Enditem

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