The fact that the PA is raising the amount of the allowances to Martyrs’ families, even slightly, at this time is in direct defiance of the United States.

In defiance of the US, which is demanding that the Palestinian Authority (PA) completely stop financial rewards to families of terrorist “Martyrs” (Shahids), the PA is now raising the payments to the “Martyrs'” families. These PA payments include lifetime monthly allowances to families of suicide bombers, and other murderers who were killed during or after committing their crimes.

After years of international condemnation of the PA, the United States Congress recently proposed the Taylor Force Act to cut off financial all aid to the PA because of these payments to terrorists and their families.

When Taylor Force, an American citizen, was murdered last year in Tel Aviv, American legislators were incensed to learn that the family members of the dead terrorist would be rewarded with lifetime payments, thus benefiting either directly or indirectly from American financial aid.

Similar legislation was proposed in the Israeli parliament last month, to deduct the equivalent amount that the PA pays to terrorists and their families from the tax revenues that Israel collects on the PA’s behalf.

Muhammad Sbeihat, secretary-general of the National Association of the Martyrs’ Families of Palestine, which is the PLO organization dealing with the PA’s payments to “Martyrs'” families, explained last week, as reported in the Palestinian daily Al Quds on April 4:

“In the upcoming period the allowances of the Martyrs’ families will be linked to the cost of living index, which will cause an improvement in these allowances, if only slightly.”

At a ceremony held under the auspices of Tulkarem District Governor Issam Abu Bakr, Al Quds reported, “the National Association of the Martyrs’ Families of Palestine distributed laptops to the Martyrs’ sons and daughters in the [Tulkarem] district who successfully completed high school studies last year, and are currently in their first year of university studies.”

Sbeihat spoke at the ceremony, where one of the recipients of a laptop included the daughter of terrorist Fawaz Badran, who, according to Israeli sources, was responsible for the planning of two terrorist attacks in Netanya in which nine people were murdered, and dozens injured.

Abu Bakr had provided considerable financial aid to fund the computers.

In 2016, more than 32,500 Martyrs’ families received payments.

By: United with Israel Staff

With files from Itamar Marcus, Palestinian Media Watch