A shocking new report shows that the Palestinian Authority has dramatically expanded its budget for so-called “martyr’s fund payments.” These payments are going to Palestinian terrorists. They are subsidizing terrorism against our ally Israel.
Last year, the Palestinian Authority paid $135 million (£108 million) to the families of jailed terrorists and $183 million (£140 million) to the families of dead terrorists. That is disgusting. But as the saying goes, if you want more of something you subsidize it.
Well, this year the Palestinian Authority has budgeted $158 million (£121 million) for the families of jailed terrorists and $197 million (£151 million) to the families of dead terrorists, for a grand total of $335 million (£258 million) in subsidies for terrorism, an increase of 12% from last year.
Reacting to this disturbing report, Rabbis Abraham Cooper and Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said, “Is PA president running a mafia or a government? No Israeli government — right, centre, or left — can seriously negotiate with a leader who embeds a pay-for-murder scheme to kill Jews.”
They are absolutely right. The first step toward peace is to stop the violence. In my view, there should be zero pressure on Israel to even consider peace talks until the Palestinians stop subsidizing terrorism against innocent Israelis.
That is why the Taylor Force Act is such a high priority for Christians United For Israel Action Fund. U.S. foreign aid, our hard-earned tax dollars, should not go to governments that pay terrorists to murder Israelis or, in the case of Taylor Force, American veterans.
Just this week, thousands of attendees at the Christians United For Israel Washington Summit blanketed Capitol Hill, meeting with members of Congress. The CUFI activists discussed many issues with their elected officials, including the Taylor Force Act. I am pleased to report that 10 more House members signed on as co-sponsors of the Taylor Force Act this week! There are now 84 co-sponsors in the House and 15 in the Senate.
Christians United For Israel Action Fund urges all members of Congress to co-sponsor and support this common sense legislation.
Gary Bauer – CUFI Action Fund
