How many BDS activists in the U.S. know that Israel gives hundreds of millions of dollars to the Palestinian Authority, and has actually agreed to give it billions, only withholding some to compensate for the fact that the PA uses some of the money to pay jihad murderers and their families? If Israel is completely destroyed by the BDS movement, who will pay the “Palestinians” then? You think that “Palestinian” jihadis will then lay down their arms and take up peaceful pursuits? No, if Israel were destroyed, the jihadis would be emboldened, and more active than ever against their secondary and tertiary targets.
“Palestinians agree to some tax transfers from Israel as cash crunch mounts,” Times of Israel, August 22, 2019:
RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian Authority, in deep financial trouble since February over a tax crisis, said Thursday it had accepted a partial payment of just over half a billion dollars after reaching an agreement with Israel.
“An agreement was reached a few days ago with the Israeli side for transferring duties on oil and fuel which the Palestinian Authority bought in Israel to the amount of around two billion shekels ($568 million),” Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh told AFP.
The PA has seen its coffers shrink since cutting off tax transfers from Israel in February to protest Israel garnishing the transfers to offset payments to terrorists and their families. Israel says the policy encourages further violence, while PA President Mahmoud Abbas has insisted he receive all or nothing.
The money covers taxes on fuel that previously were routed through Israel, which collects some $190 million on taxes a month on behalf of Ramallah.
“Recovering this money will solve part of the financial crisis caused by the Israeli government’s freezing of Palestinian funds,” said Sheikh, while stressing that it was only part of the arrears due from Israel.
Sheikh said the underlying political dispute had not been resolved, as the PA insisted that it would continue to pay allowances for Palestinian prisoners and the families of those killed in conflict with Israel down to the “last cent.”
He said that representatives of Israel’s Defense Ministry were present during the recent negotiations.
Israel sees the stability of the West Bank as essential to its own security.
Observers are concerned that economic distress in the territory could feed radicalization of young Palestinians, already embittered by the lack of visible prospects for peace….
Steve says
Israel is crazy to do this. When you fund your enemy, the people that want to destroy you, you have become the enemy, your own worst enemy
Marilyn Griffin says
Almost unbelievable, isn’t it, but the USA does the same. But no matter which nation does this, it is insane, but the USA giving hundreds of billions every year to foreign nations, while having a $22 trillion national debt is way beyond insanity. Another thought, if Israel can afford to give billions to its closest enemy, perhaps we should consider ending our own monetary subsidy to Israel. After all we need the money to pay the new raises for federal employees, and to pay for the care and upkeep of tens of millions of foreign noncitizens living in our country. We COULD use the money to repair and upgrade our infrastructure, or actually clean up the crime in our inner cities, but, NAH, that’s for citizens and their don’t count.
gravenimage says
Israel still has some stupid policies, but your urging us to throw her to the Jihadists is quite disgusting. Whatever issues Israel has, she is a beacon of civilization and democracy in the Muslim Middle East. Unless the above was meant as sarcasm, given our own often foolish and Islamophilic policies.
James Lincoln says
I have an undergraduate degree in business / finance, and yet I do not understand this feature article.
Could an appropriate Jihad Watch reader please break this down for me…
John Allen says
James L,
Funny question JL. Indirectly paying ones enemy to encourage more to kill you is stupid.
It begs a more serious finance question: If Israel is paying the PA to pay blood money to suicide bombers’ families, and we pay Israel billions annually to stay afloat, aren’t we the ones paying?
C’mon Israel, as long as you are dependent on our money, not one dime should be going to the jihadist machine.
Mr. Spencer,
Very good article as usual. I guess President Trump is nibbling away at the edges of this tragic pay-for-slay fiasco; wish he would take an over-sized bite though.
Angemon says
How does that Lebanese saying goes? “After Saturday comes Sunday”…
gravenimage says
Yes–the destruction of Israel would embolden Jihadists everywhere.
John Allen says
Angemon,
Not sure who or what you are saying ‘no’ to, but it sounds like most of these posts- including mine- are simpatico: All funding to the PA should cease as long as it finances pay-to-slay. Some would argue that no funds whatsoever should go to PA or Hamas. I wouldn’t argue with that either.
John Allen says
Ang,
Just realized your ‘no’ was in reference to Roberts’ article. I should read the article better.
gravenimage says
Palestinian Authority still paying jihad terrorists, but Israel gives it $568,000,000
……………………….
Suicidal madness. Glad to see that the US has cut aid to the “Palestinians”, for just this reason:
“US cuts aid to “Palestinians” by more than $200 million”
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2018/08/us-cuts-aid-to-palestinians-by-more-than-200-million
“One main issue the U.S. has had with support for the Palestinian Authority had been its stipends paid to the families of Palestinians killed, injured or jailed for attacks on Israel. Israel and the Trump administration, have repeatedly demanded that those payments from a so-called “martyrs’ fund” be halted because they encourage terrorism. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to do so…”
undrbed cat says
I think all that money to the Palestinian authority did not make Israel safer. How in the world does Hamas a terror group get all this money from Israel, to fund the martyrs? It almost seems as if they are clueless about Islam and the warfare doctrine. I am sure there is a operational group, MB, that gets these funds and keeps them operational. Poverty does not cause jihad….money will not cure it. They have experience treaty after treaty or agreement evaporate.They use the media and get their narrative out world wide they could be funding this erroneous message. In my opinion.
gravenimage says
Many have not just chided Israel for this suicidal behavior, but have suggested that she should fall to Islam.
I agree with the former, but *not* the latter. Some of this from Israel is the same foolish misplaced humanitarianism you find in the rest of the West, but some of this also reflects the enormous pressure Israel is under from dhimmis and worse who promulgate the idea that the murderous local Muslims are really the “poor oppressed ‘Palestinians'”.
ploome says
dear Robert,
Does Israel have any friend other than USA?
Whatever the Israelis do is criticized and condemned-\\
we have to adjust our language
the land west of the Jordan river, illegally annexed by Jordan, and lost to Israel when Jordan attacked Israel in 1967- was LEGALLY part of Mandate Palestine-held in trust for a Jewish homeland
AND now DISPUTED
claimed by the arabs, and claimed by the Jews as part of the mandate administered by the Brits -TO HOLD IN TRUST for a Jewish homeland..
gravenimage says
+1. I like calling the “West Bank” Judea and Samaria–much more accurate.
clive delmonte says
I think Israel’s position is clear. They fund Abbass to keep him in power for fear of something worse.
gravenimage says
Also likely part of it–just look at Hamas. But Fatah itself has the destruction of Israel right in its charter.
Olufemi Ogunyipe says
It’s unbelievable that Israel funds her mortal enemy, Islam. Let Robert Spencer come to the rescue by organizing a workshop for Israeli parliamentarians and leaders to open their eyes to the nature of a new model of nazism and antisemitism.
Mr deplorable says
If this is true, we as Americans are so fucking stupid to keep sending money to israel. I will be pestering the shit out of my congresscritters to stop all aid to these assholes.
gravenimage says
Again, a call to abandon Israel, although every Western country does the same. *Ugh*.
Hilda K Abel says
The scriptures speak of a time when ALL the nations on earth turn against Israel. Could it really be true?