RegAlertRule · PMA · 30 Dec 2025
Palestine Monetary Authority Circular No. 182/2025: Handling Payment Systems During 2026 Holidays and Official Occasions
The Palestine Monetary Authority issued Circular No. 182/2025 to regulate the operation of payment systems, specifically the Barq RTGS and Electronic Cheque Clearing systems, during official holidays in 2026. The circular mandates that banks maintain internal inter-bank settlements and liquidity while suspending external transfer requests on days when currency centers or Israeli banking systems are closed. It further reserves the Authority's right to reverse non-compliant transactions and reserves the right to update holiday schedules for any special or emergency occasions.
Palestine Monetary Authority
PALESTINE MONETARY AUTHORITY
Circular No. (182 / 2025)
To all banks operating in Palestine
Date: Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Subject: Handling Payment Systems During the Period of Holidays and Official Occasions in 2026
Based on the provisions of Article No. (73) of Law No. (9) of 2010 concerning Banks, and for the purpose of regulating the operation of payment systems managed by the Palestine Monetary Authority during periods of official occasions and holidays inside and outside Palestine, which result in the full or partial suspension of the Real-Time Gross Settlement system "Barq" and the Electronic Cheque Clearing system, we attach the following:
1. List of National Occasions and Religious Holidays in Palestine during 2026 that result in the complete suspension of banking operations, including the suspension of the Real-Time Gross Settlement system – Barq (RTGS) and the Electronic Cheque Clearing system (ECC):
| Occasion | Day | Date | Holiday Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday | 2026/01/01 | One day |
| Christmas Day - East | Wednesday | 2026/01/07 | One day |
| Isra and Mi'raj¹ | 27th of Rajab, 1447 AH | One day | |
| International Women's Day | Sunday | 2026/03/08 | One day |
| Eid al-Fitr¹ | 1st of Shawwal, 1447 AH | Stand and three days | |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday | 2026/04/12 | One day |
| Eid al-Adha¹ | 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah, 1447 AH | Stand and four days | |
| Islamic New Year¹ | 1st of Muharram, 1448 AH | One day | |
| Prophet's Birthday¹ | 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal, 1448 AH | One day | |
| Independence Day | Sunday | 2026/11/15 | One day |
2. List of External Occasions and Holidays during 2026 in countries of the currency centers circulating in the "Barq" settlement system, which are (Jordanian Dinar, US Dollar, and Euro), which affect settlement operations executed in the system partially:
| Occasion | Day | Date | Currency | Currency Center / Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday | 2026/01/19 | Dollar | United States of America |
| Presidents’ Day | Monday | 2026/02/16 | Dollar | United States of America |
| Easter Monday | Monday | 2026/04/06 | Euro | European Union |
| Ascension Day | Thursday | 2026/05/14 | Euro | Germany |
| Independence Day | Dinar | Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan | ||
| Memorial Day | Monday | 2026/05/25 | Dollar | United States of America |
| Whitmonday | Euro | Germany | ||
| Corpus Christi | Thursday | 2026/06/04 | Euro | Germany |
| Labor Day | Monday | 2026/09/07 | Dollar | United States of America |
| Columbus Day | Monday | 2026/10/12 | Dollar | United States of America |
| Veterans’ Day | Wednesday | 2026/11/11 | Dollar | United States of America |
| Thanksgiving | Thursday | 2026/11/26 | Dollar | United States of America |
| Christmas Eve | Thursday | 2026/12/24 | Euro | Germany |
| New Year’s Eve | Thursday | 2026/12/31 | Euro | Germany |
3. List of days that coincide with official holidays in the currency center of the (Cheque), which result in the total or partial suspension of Israeli banking operations, which also affect settlement operations executed in the "Barq" system partially:
| Day | Date | Type of Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 2026/03/03 | Full holiday |
| Wednesday | 2026/04/01 | Partial working day |
| Thursday | 2026/04/02 | Full holiday |
| Tuesday | 2026/04/07 | Partial working day |
| Wednesday | 2026/04/08 | Full holiday |
| Tuesday | 2026/04/21 | Partial working day |
| Thursday | 2026/05/21 | Full holiday |
| Thursday | 2026/07/23 | Full holiday |
| Sunday | 2026/09/13 | Full holiday |
| Sunday | 2026/09/20 | Full holiday |
| Monday | 2026/09/21 | Full holiday |
4. In case of official holidays in the countries of the currency centers circulating in the "Barq" system and listed in one of the items (2) or (3) above, and for the purpose of regulating external and internal settlement operations, all banks must comply with the following:
a. Continue to execute internal banking settlement operations with all Inter-bank Operations as usual.
b. Commit to providing the necessary liquidity to cover the net debit positions in any of the bank accounts opened in the system.
c. Stop executing external transfer requests and feeding notifications on days that coincide with official holidays in the countries of the currency centers circulating in the system.
d. The Palestine Monetary Authority has the right to reverse and cancel external transfer requests and feeding notifications that are executed through the "Barq" system if they are received in violation of the above instructions, without referring to the bank executing the operation.
5. The Palestine Monetary Authority will update all banks in case of any modifications to the holidays and occasions mentioned above, or in case any special or emergency occasion arises.
Payment Systems Department
Palestine Monetary Authority
1 Islamic religious occasions, their Gregorian dates are determined according to lunar months.
Ramallah & Al-Bireh Governorate - Palestine P.O. Box 452 Postal code: P6160675 | Postal code: P6160675 Tel: +970 2 2415251 | Tel: +970 2 2415251 Fax: +970 2 2415310 | Fax: +970 2 2415310 info@pma.ps
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The links and the sentences they come from (1)
- Issued under
- Law No. (9) of 2010 concerning Banks2018 · PMA
“Based on the provisions of Article No. (73) of Law No. (9) of 2010 concerning Banks”
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