Abbas: "I will not give up on this… the Martyrs' families [and prisoners] will continue to receive their full allowances"
Headline: "The [PA] president: We object to the Arab normalization with Israel as long as it is in contradiction to the Arab peace initiative"
"Six months have passed since the last interview of [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas by [the London newspaper] Al-Quds Al-Arabi on the sidelines of the Arab Summit that was held at one of the Dead Sea resorts in Jordan last March [2017].
Between March and August many stirring events took place, while promises that were made were not kept, such as the convening of the Palestinian National Council (i.e., the legislative body of the PLO)…
[Q:] 'There was much talk about stopping the allowances (mukhassasat) of the families of prisoners and Martyrs (Shahids) because of the incitement that Israel is carrying out and the pressure that it is applying on the Trump administration.'
[PA President Mahmoud Abbas:] 'Right, Israel is inciting the US to think that the prisoners and Martyrs are terrorists. They are fighters and members of our people. We established the Prisoners and Martyrs’ Institute in April 1965, in other words at the beginning of the revolution, and we put the first respectable amount we obtained in the account of the Martyrs' families. They are the Martyrs of the Palestinian people, and since that moment we have been giving them allowances. We give these allowances to the families of the Martyrs, and [the US and Israel can] call them whatever they want, but I call them Martyrs. [The US and Israel] said that this is support of terror. I said to them: “Let's establish a trilateral committee that will discuss the matter,” and Israel refused. I said to the Americans: “Let the two of us discuss the matter,” but this did not happen. I will not give up on this matter, and the Martyrs' families will continue to receive their full allowances.'
[Q:] 'And the prisoners?'
[PA President Mahmoud Abbas:] 'Of course, also the prisoners.'
[Q:] 'Lately it has been repeatedly said that Mahmoud Abbas stopped the funds of bodies that take care of the prisoners such as the Prisoners' Club. Is that true?'
[PA President Mahmoud Abbas:] 'A small incident occurred during the prisoners' hunger strike. It had several repercussions, and there were several wrong behaviors, and we established a committee to examine these behaviors. Regarding the Prisoners' Club, it will continue to exist, and so will the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ [Affairs], and it will not change and is subject to the PLO, and nothing will affect it. Regarding the matter of checking the behavior of the Prisoners' Club, this is our right ([PA] Intelligence Head Majed Faraj, who was present, intervened and said that the Prisoners' Club is an institution that was established by the Fatah Movement) [Parentheses in source].'"
Hunger strike (April-May 2017) Palestinian terrorist prisoners launched a hunger strike on April 17, 2017, which ended on May 27, 2017, after an agreement was reached. While the prisoners had issued a list of demands, reportedly only the demand to have the Red Cross reinstate a second monthly family visit for prisoners was agreed to. Nevertheless, the PA has claimed the development as a victory.
"Six months have passed since the last interview of [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas by [the London newspaper] Al-Quds Al-Arabi on the sidelines of the Arab Summit that was held at one of the Dead Sea resorts in Jordan last March [2017].
Between March and August many stirring events took place, while promises that were made were not kept, such as the convening of the Palestinian National Council (i.e., the legislative body of the PLO)…
[Q:] 'There was much talk about stopping the allowances (mukhassasat) of the families of prisoners and Martyrs (Shahids) because of the incitement that Israel is carrying out and the pressure that it is applying on the Trump administration.'
[PA President Mahmoud Abbas:] 'Right, Israel is inciting the US to think that the prisoners and Martyrs are terrorists. They are fighters and members of our people. We established the Prisoners and Martyrs’ Institute in April 1965, in other words at the beginning of the revolution, and we put the first respectable amount we obtained in the account of the Martyrs' families. They are the Martyrs of the Palestinian people, and since that moment we have been giving them allowances. We give these allowances to the families of the Martyrs, and [the US and Israel can] call them whatever they want, but I call them Martyrs. [The US and Israel] said that this is support of terror. I said to them: “Let's establish a trilateral committee that will discuss the matter,” and Israel refused. I said to the Americans: “Let the two of us discuss the matter,” but this did not happen. I will not give up on this matter, and the Martyrs' families will continue to receive their full allowances.'
[Q:] 'And the prisoners?'
[PA President Mahmoud Abbas:] 'Of course, also the prisoners.'
[Q:] 'Lately it has been repeatedly said that Mahmoud Abbas stopped the funds of bodies that take care of the prisoners such as the Prisoners' Club. Is that true?'
[PA President Mahmoud Abbas:] 'A small incident occurred during the prisoners' hunger strike. It had several repercussions, and there were several wrong behaviors, and we established a committee to examine these behaviors. Regarding the Prisoners' Club, it will continue to exist, and so will the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ [Affairs], and it will not change and is subject to the PLO, and nothing will affect it. Regarding the matter of checking the behavior of the Prisoners' Club, this is our right ([PA] Intelligence Head Majed Faraj, who was present, intervened and said that the Prisoners' Club is an institution that was established by the Fatah Movement) [Parentheses in source].'"
Hunger strike (April-May 2017) Palestinian terrorist prisoners launched a hunger strike on April 17, 2017, which ended on May 27, 2017, after an agreement was reached. While the prisoners had issued a list of demands, reportedly only the demand to have the Red Cross reinstate a second monthly family visit for prisoners was agreed to. Nevertheless, the PA has claimed the development as a victory.