PA officially rejects Taylor Force Act
PA officially rejects Taylor Force Act
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US legislation conditions US aid to the PA
on the cessation of PA rewarding terror
;
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
On March 23, the United States enacted the Taylor Force Act which cuts almost all aid to the Palestinian Authority if it continues paying salaries to terrorists and allowances to families of dead terrorists. Even before the final vote in the US Congress, PA leaders announced that they rejected the Taylor Force Act and would not stop rewarding terrorists as the United States demanded.
The following are some of the reactions before and following the US passing of the law.
Before the enactment of the Taylor Force Act:
Mahmoud Abbas to PLO Central Council:
“We will continue to pay them”
"There is something that the Americans are telling us to stop - the salaries of the Martyrs and the Martyrs' families. Of course we categorically reject this. We will not under any circumstances allow anyone to harm the families of the prisoners, the wounded, and the Martyrs. They are our children and they are our families. They honor us, and we will continue to pay them before the living."
[Official PA TV, Jan. 14, 2018]
Issa Karake, Director of Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs:“We are proud... it's our national, human,
and moral obligation”
and moral obligation”
“I’ll quote [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas: ... “Until the last day of my life, we won't stop this support. It's important” ... The family of every Palestinian prisoner receives social aid. We’re proud of this, not ashamed of it, and we say this openly, because it's our national, human, and moral obligation, and the obligation of the struggle. It is supported by the Palestinian leadership and by the Palestinian government.”
[Official PA TV, PLO Institutions, Feb. 26, 2018]
Following the enactment of the Taylor Force Act:PA Government Spokesman:
“The government expressed
its rejection and condemnations
its rejection and condemnations
of the American Congress' conditioning aid"
“In the eyes of our people, our nation, and our cause,
the Martyrs and prisoners are sacred symbols of freedom,
struggle, protecting human dignity”
"Official Spokesman of the [PA] National Unity Government Yusuf Al-Mahmoud expressed the government's rejection and condemnations of Congress's conditioning the continuation of the American aid to the Palestinian state’s institutions on the Martyrs' (Shahids) and prisoners' allowances (mukhassasat) being stopped.... The official spokesman continued: 'In the eyes of our people, our nation, and our cause, the Martyrs and prisoners are sacred symbols of freedom, struggle, protecting human dignity, and resistance to submission and humiliation. All of these titles are noble titles, and an anchored right of all humans, which cannot be bought or sold for any fortune in the world.'"
[WAFA, official PA news agency, March 23, 2018]
PA Ministry of Information:
“The freedom Martyrs and our brave prisoners
are not highway robbers or gang members,
but rather one of the elements
of the legitimate resistance”
of the legitimate resistance”
"The [PA] Ministry of Information said that the American Congress’ demand to stop paying the Martyrs’ (Shahids) and prisoners' allowances (mukhassasat) in return for the continuation of the aid to the institutions of the Palestinian state is a continuation of the political extortion, extremism, and support for the occupation....
The ministry emphasized that the freedom Martyrs and our brave prisoners are not highway robbers or gang members, but rather one of the elements of the legitimate resistance to the occupation, which is supported by international law."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 24, 2018]
Head of PLO General Commission in the US Husam Zomlot:“The Palestinian leadership...
will not submit to financial extortion”
will not submit to financial extortion”
Headline: "Zomlot: Our rights are not for sale, and we will not submit to financial extortion"
"Head of the PLO General Commission in the US Husam Zomlot said in response to the Taylor Force Act, which stops the aid to the PA because of its payments to the families of the Martyrs (Shahids) and the prisoners, that the Palestinian leadership is committed to the rights of the families of the Martyrs and the prisoners, is committed to letting them live in dignity, and will not submit to financial extortion. He emphasized that the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights are not for sale.”
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 25, 2018]
Fatah Movement:“Our brave prisoners and heroic Martyrs
fought for freedom”
fought for freedom”
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"The Fatah Movement said in a statement ... that our brave prisoners and heroic Martyrs fought for freedom and independence, and that the rights of their families are not up for bargaining or negotiation...
Fatah Revolutionary Council member [and Fatah Spokesperson] Osama Al-Qawasmi said that Congress and the White House are competing with the Israeli Parliament and the Israeli Cabinet in displaying hatred and racism against the fighting and resolute Palestinian people."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 25, 2018]
The following are excerpts of statements and reports above:"The [PA] Ministry of Information said that the American Congress’ demand to stop paying the Martyrs’ (Shahids) and prisoners' allowances (mukhassasat) in return for the continuation of the aid to the institutions of the Palestinian state is a continuation of the political extortion, extremism, and support for the occupation. It said that the decision proves that Washington and President Trump's administration are not just biased in favor of the occupation and the settlement enterprise, but have become a part of [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu's government, officially joined the extremism and racism, and ignored the fact that the American Constitution promotes freedom and justice.
The ministry emphasized that the freedom Martyrs and our brave prisoners are not highway robbers or gang members, but rather one of the elements of the legitimate resistance to the occupation, which is supported by international law."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 24, 2018]
Headline: "The [PA] government expressed its rejection and condemnations of the American Congress' conditioning regarding aid"
"Official Spokesman of the [PA] National Unity Government Yusuf Al-Mahmoud expressed the government's rejection and condemnations of Congress's conditioning the continuation of the American aid to the Palestinian state’s institutions on the Martyrs' (Shahids) and prisoners' allowances (mukhassasat) being stopped. Al-Mahmoud said in a statement on Friday [March 23, 2018]: 'The American Congress must demand to end the occupation, stop the suffering of the Palestinian Arab people, and threaten the occupation authorities that it will stop aiding them if they continue the occupation and settlement, as the occupation is the one causing the spilling of our people's blood and their being put in its prisons.'
The official spokesman continued: 'In the eyes of our people, our nation, and our cause, the Martyrs and prisoners are sacred symbols of freedom, struggle, protecting human dignity, and resistance to submission and humiliation. All of these titles are noble titles, and an anchored right of all humans, which cannot be bought or sold for any fortune in the world.'
The American Congress today approved a law to stop the financial aid to the PA if it continues to pay the allowances of the prisoners and the Martyrs.
The law has been transferred to the White House for final approval by [US] President [Donald] Trump (the law was approved by Trump the same day -Ed.)."
[WAFA, official PA news agency, March 23, 2018]
Headline: "Zomlot: Our rights are not for sale, and we will not submit to financial extortion"
"Head of the PLO General Commission in the US Husam Zomlot said in response to the Taylor Force Act, which stops the aid to the PA because of its payments to the families of the Martyrs (Shahids) and the prisoners, that the Palestinian leadership is committed to the rights of the families of the Martyrs and the prisoners, is committed to letting them live in dignity, and will not submit to financial extortion. He emphasized that the Palestinian people’s legitimate rights are not for sale...
He said: 'The Taylor Force Act arises from political motives, and Congress is attempting to use it as a means of political pressure, especially given the efforts to pass what is called “the deal of the century” (refers to US President Donald Trump's as yet unpublished peace plan -Ed.), whose goal is to eliminate the Palestinian cause.'"
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 25, 2018]
Headline: "Fatah: Congress' decision constitutes a continuation of the aggression towards our people"
"The Fatah Movement said in a statement that it 'is not at all surprised by the American Congress’ latest decision, which connects the American aid with stopping the financial aid to the families of the prisoners and Martyrs (Shahids) (refers to the Taylor Force Act, which was passed into law on March 23, 2018; see note below -Ed.).' The movement emphasized that our brave prisoners and heroic Martyrs fought for freedom and independence, and that the rights of their families are not up for bargaining or negotiation...
Fatah Revolutionary Council member [and Fatah Spokesperson] Osama Al-Qawasmi said that Congress and the White House are competing with the Israeli Parliament and the Israeli Cabinet in displaying hatred and racism against the fighting and resolute Palestinian people."
[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 25, 2018]
Official Spokesman Official Spokesman PA Government Yusuf Al-Mahmoud’s condemns US Congress passing the Taylor Force Act
Official PA TV newsreader: “Official Spokesman of the [PA] National Unity Government Yusuf Al-Mahmoud expressed the government’s opposition and condemnation of the continued American aid to the State of Palestine’s institutions being conditioned on the allowances (mukhassasat) to the Martyrs (Shahids) and prisoners being stopped.
Al-Mahmoud emphasized that the American Congress should have demanded the end of the occupation and stopping of the suffering of the members of our people, and set as a condition before the occupation authorities the stopping of aid if they continue their occupation and settlement. Al-Mahmoud emphasized that the Martyrs and prisoners are sacred symbols of freedom and struggle, and that all of these titles are noble human titles and a right guaranteed for all people, and they will not be sold or bought for all the money in the world.”
[Official PA TV News, March 23, 2018]
The Taylor Force Act - a bill named after US citizen Taylor Force who was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in Tel Aviv on March 8, 2016, which calls to cut almost all funding to the PA if it continues paying salaries to terrorists and allowances to families of "Martyrs." On March 23, 2018, the bill was approved by the American Congress and signed into law by US President Donald Trump.