Millions of dollars from donor nations to the Palestinian Authority’s general budget is funding terror by paying salaries not only to all Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons, but also to 4,000 former security and terrorist prisoners.
According to Palestinian Media Watch, an Israel-based NGO, the PA paid $100 million to terrorists in 2013 and has now allocated an additional $46 million to funding terror.
Testimony from a Palestinian prisoner substantiates allegations that the PA encourages and rewards terrorism.
PMW reports that Husni Najjar, a Palestinian prisoner, told Israeli police that he was planning his second terror attack against innocent Israelis in order to receive greater financial compensation from the PA.
“In his signed statement given to the police following his second arrest,” according to PMW, which has a copy in its possession, Najjar “explains that the money he received from the PA as salary during his first prison term amounted to only 45,000 shekels [roughly 13,000 USD]. However, the salary he would receive following his second prison term and subsequent release would leave him with 135,000 shekels,” which he says would cover his debts.
“The testimony of this Palestinian terrorist confirms PMW’s contention that the PA’s policy of paying high salaries to terrorists during their imprisonment in Israel and after their release not only rewards terror, but also constitutes a motivation for terror,” PMW states, adding that Najjar demonstrated “precise knowledge of the payments the PA gives to those arrested for terror. He explained that PA law grants terrorists imprisoned for more than five years a salary of 4,000 shekels a month, which continues for three years following their release from prison. This is in addition to monthly salary payments while in prison. The terrorist explained that because his first imprisonment for planning a suicide terror attack (which was foiled) lasted less than five years, it was not enough to prompt the 4,000 shekels monthly salary upon release. He therefore planned another attack in order to reach a total of five years in prison, which would entitle him to the additional salary upon his second release.”
PMW quotes Najjar’s testimony of August 18, 2013, in which he states:
“After [my] release [from prison]… I had a bank account with 45,000 shekels from [my] salary from the Palestinian Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs… and there remained a deficit of 30,000 shekels for the wedding… I decided to arrange an imaginary plan for the Israeli Shabak [Israel’s General Security Service] so that I would be arrested… After I would spend five years [in prison] I would receive a salary of about 4,000 shekels [upon release], and this amount would be for three years. That means there would be a total amount of 135,000 shekels (the correct amount would equal 144,000 shekels – Ed.) and then I would cover my debts.”
Najjar, currently in prison and awaiting trial, is already receiving payment for his terror activities, “since PA law stipulates that the salary ‘will be paid to the prisoner from the date of his arrest.’” PMW notes.
The PA’s “funding of terrorists is enabled by money the US and European countries give to the PA for salaries and its general budget,” PMW declares.
Author: United with Israel staff
Date: Feb. 16, 2014