“The truth is they are worthy of being spat on,” sneered a top Palestinian advisor while discussing Australia.
Australia has terminated its annual $10 million ($ 7.4 M in USD) funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) over its practice of incentivizing terrorism. Australia is instead redirecting the funds to a United Nations program to finance basic needs of Palestinian women and families.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop explained that Australia unsuccessfully sought confirmation from the PA that the aid was not going to pay terrorists. Bishop added: “Any assistance provided by the PLO to those convicted of politically motivated violence is an affront to Australian values and undermines the prospect of meaningful peace between Israel and the Palestinians.”
In response to Australia’s decision, Nabil Shaath, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor on Foreign Affairs and International Relations, slammed Australia standing against terrorism instead of supporting what he referred to as “martyrs.”