JERUSALEM—The president of the Palestinian Authority (PA) apparently capitulated to the Trump administration by claiming to scrap its long-standing program often called “pay for slay,” which gives funds to Palestinian terrorists and their households.
There are, nevertheless, conflicting stories about whether or not the PA ended this system or is attempting to hoodwink the Trump administration.
Israel’s Overseas Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein launched a press release on X saying, “It is a new deception scheme by the Palestinian Authority, which intends to proceed paying terrorists and their households by different fee channels.”
On Monday, the Palestinian Information and Info Company (WAFA) reported that Mahmoud Abbas “issued a decree legislation revoking the articles contained within the legal guidelines and laws associated to the system of paying monetary allowances to the households of prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded, within the Prisoners’ Legislation and the laws issued by the Council of Ministers and the Palestine Liberation Organizations.”
WAFA famous that, concerning Abbas’ decree, “powers of all safety and social welfare applications in Palestine have been transferred to the Palestinian Financial Empowerment Basis.” The Occasions of Israel reported that it had independently confirmed by sources that the revocation occurred.
The pay for slay coverage gained public consideration when Taylor Pressure, a West Level graduate who served in Afghanistan and Iraq was savagely knifed to demise by a Palestinian terrorist on March 8, 2016, whereas on a tour of Israel. President Donald Trump signed the Taylor Pressure Act into legislation in October 2018, after a vigorous marketing campaign by Pressure’s mother and father, Robbi and Stuart Pressure.
“Abbas’ announcement appears to be a ruse aimed toward pulling the wool over President Trump’s eyes,” Asher Fredman, a former Israeli authorities official who now could be the manager director of the Misgav Institute for Nationwide Safety, instructed Fox Information Digital.
Flags are positioned above the poster of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas within the West Financial institution metropolis of Nablus, Sept. 30, 2015. (AP Photograph/Majdi Mohammed)
“It seems that the terrorists and households of terrorists who obtained funds beneath the PA’s ‘pay for slay’ program will proceed to obtain the identical funds, merely through a ‘basis’ beneath the management of Abbas, relatively than through a ministry beneath the management of Abbas.”
Fredman added, “It stays to be seen whether or not Abbas really ends the pay for slay funds, in addition to the virulent terror incitement and antisemitism in PA media, colleges and summer season camps.”
He stated the PA introduced that the funds to convicted terrorists are transferring from the Ministry of Social Improvement to an unbiased Palestinian Nationwide Financial Empowerment Basis. The top of the inspiration’s board is the minister of social improvement. The muse’s common director can be apparently an worker of the Ministry of Social Improvement, in response to her LinkedIn profile. The linkage means that the inspiration is carefully tied to the PA.
Buses carrying Palestinian prisoners launched from an Israeli jail as a part of a ceasefire settlement are greeted within the West Financial institution metropolis of Ramallah, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photograph/Nasser Nasser)
Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the affiliate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Heart, instructed Fox Information Digital, “We are going to rejoice when the PA stops financially rewarding Palestinian terrorists for murdering and injuring Israelis. Abbas’ assertion makes no such dedication. Mr. Abbas, you both assist and abet terrorism or oppose and assist finish it.”
The Occasions of Israel reported that PA officers knowledgeable the incoming Trump administration about its plan to drag the plug on the “pay to slay” program.
The pondering behind the PA’s resolution is to curry favor with the Trump administration and keep away from the strained relations that existed in the course of the first Trump presidency. After Trump acknowledged Jerusalem as Israel’s capital metropolis in 2017, Abbas boycotted the Trump administration.
The Occasions of Israel wrote that Monday’s “decree is Ramallah’s newest effort to enhance ties with Washington and quantities to a main victory for Trump, who managed to safe a concession from the PA that repeated U.S. administrations had labored to result in.”
A safety prisoner together with his arms tied at a jail in Giv’at Ze’ev, Aug 28, 2024. (Gideon Markowicz/TPS-IL)
The PA relies in Ramallah within the West Financial institution (recognized in Israel because the biblical area of Judea and Samaria).
Fox Information Digital reported after a late 2023 deal involving the alternate of Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel for the discharge of Israeli civilians held by Hamas in Gaza that the freed terrorists would obtain month-to-month funds starting from roughly $535 to $668 for Jerusalem residents.
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Jason Brodsky, the coverage director of United Towards Nuclear Iran (UANI), summed up a current pattern of international leaders caving to the Trump administration. “I believe it speaks to the Trump impact. Overseas leaders worry crossing the president as a result of he is aware of tips on how to have interaction in coercive diplomacy, and it produces outcomes which advance U.S. pursuits like this. Iran and different international locations are watching very fastidiously how the president pressures different governments, and it will form their decision-making. To date, Tehran has been extra risk-averse since President Trump has been in workplace,” he instructed Fox Information Digital.
Fox Information Digital inquiries to the Palestinian Authority weren’t answered.