PA District Governor: “The cause of the prisoners and Martyrs is among the priorities of the Palestinian people and leadership… [Abbas’ position is that] we will not accept the tax money if even one penny is missing from it”
Headline: “A protest vigil condemning the occupation’s theft of the prisoners and Martyrs’ allowances”
“Dozens of civilians took part in a protest and solidarity vigil yesterday [Feb. 21, 2019] to condemn the Israeli occupation’s theft of the prisoners and Martyrs’ (Shahids’) allowances (mukhassasat) (refers to implementation of law to deduct terrorist salaries from the PA tax money; see note below –Ed.). During the vigil, which was organized by the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners’ Affairs in Salfit and the Fatah Movement’s Salfit branch, Salfit District Governor Ibrahim Al-Balawi said that the cause of the prisoners and Martyrs is among the priorities of the Palestinian people and leadership, and this has been a firm position throughout time until now, and we will not concede our right to our money. He added that the occupation has decided to punish our people through the most precious thing it has – the sons of the Martyrs and the prisoners who are behind bars. However, [PA] President [Mahmoud Abbas] has adhered to his firm and latest position which he will not concede, and to his emphasis that we will not accept the tax money if even one penny is missing from it.’
Fatah Movement Secretary [in Salfit] Abd Al-Sattar Awwad said that the cause of the prisoners and Martyrs is one of the basic Palestinian principles, and since the PLO was established open programs began to honor the prisoners and Martyrs, out of the loyalty and obligation of the leadership and people to those who have sacrificed their souls and blood to establish an independent Palestinian state.”
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Law to deduct terrorist salaries from PA tax money - Israeli law stating that the PA payments to terrorists and the families of dead terrorists is a financial incentive to terror. The law instructs the state to deduct and freeze the amount of money the PA pays in salaries to imprisoned terrorists and families of "Martyrs" from the tax money Israel collects for the PA. Should the PA stop these payments for a full year, the Israeli government would have the option of giving all or part of the frozen money to the PA.
The law was enacted by the Israeli Parliament on July 2, 2018, and its first implementation was approved by Israel's Security Cabinet on Feb. 17, 2019, when it decided to withhold 502,697,000 Israeli shekels (approximately $138 million) from the PA. In response, the PA announced it would not accept any of the tax money collected by Israel unless it also included the frozen amount.
During the initial parliamentary vote in 2018, the law's sponsor Avi Dichter said: “The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee received much help in its deliberations... from Palestinian Media Watch who provided us with authentic data that enabled productive and professional deliberations, nuances that are very difficult to achieve without precise data.” [Israeli Parliament website, July 2, 2018]
“Dozens of civilians took part in a protest and solidarity vigil yesterday [Feb. 21, 2019] to condemn the Israeli occupation’s theft of the prisoners and Martyrs’ (Shahids’) allowances (mukhassasat) (refers to implementation of law to deduct terrorist salaries from the PA tax money; see note below –Ed.). During the vigil, which was organized by the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners and Released Prisoners’ Affairs in Salfit and the Fatah Movement’s Salfit branch, Salfit District Governor Ibrahim Al-Balawi said that the cause of the prisoners and Martyrs is among the priorities of the Palestinian people and leadership, and this has been a firm position throughout time until now, and we will not concede our right to our money. He added that the occupation has decided to punish our people through the most precious thing it has – the sons of the Martyrs and the prisoners who are behind bars. However, [PA] President [Mahmoud Abbas] has adhered to his firm and latest position which he will not concede, and to his emphasis that we will not accept the tax money if even one penny is missing from it.’
Fatah Movement Secretary [in Salfit] Abd Al-Sattar Awwad said that the cause of the prisoners and Martyrs is one of the basic Palestinian principles, and since the PLO was established open programs began to honor the prisoners and Martyrs, out of the loyalty and obligation of the leadership and people to those who have sacrificed their souls and blood to establish an independent Palestinian state.”
Click to view bulletin
Law to deduct terrorist salaries from PA tax money - Israeli law stating that the PA payments to terrorists and the families of dead terrorists is a financial incentive to terror. The law instructs the state to deduct and freeze the amount of money the PA pays in salaries to imprisoned terrorists and families of "Martyrs" from the tax money Israel collects for the PA. Should the PA stop these payments for a full year, the Israeli government would have the option of giving all or part of the frozen money to the PA.
The law was enacted by the Israeli Parliament on July 2, 2018, and its first implementation was approved by Israel's Security Cabinet on Feb. 17, 2019, when it decided to withhold 502,697,000 Israeli shekels (approximately $138 million) from the PA. In response, the PA announced it would not accept any of the tax money collected by Israel unless it also included the frozen amount.
During the initial parliamentary vote in 2018, the law's sponsor Avi Dichter said: “The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee received much help in its deliberations... from Palestinian Media Watch who provided us with authentic data that enabled productive and professional deliberations, nuances that are very difficult to achieve without precise data.” [Israeli Parliament website, July 2, 2018]
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