PA stops referring Palestinian patients to Israeli hospitals, following implantation of Israel’s anti “pay-for-slay” law
Headline: “The [PA] Ministry of Health ceases the medical referrals to Israel, and commits to finding alternatives”
“[PA] Ministry of Health Spokesman Osama Al-Najjar announced the cessation of medical referrals to the Israeli hospitals, starting from yesterday [March 26, 2019]. Al-Najjar explained that this decision was made in response to the deduction of sums from the taxes that [Israel] collects each month for the Palestinian coffers (refers to Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law to deduct terrorist salaries; see note below –Ed.). He added that the cost of the referrals to the Israeli hospitals is $100 million a year, and emphasized that the Ministry of Health will be committed to find alternatives for the sick in the state hospitals and in private hospitals. He also said that they are discussing additional alternatives, in case there will be a need for them. Al-Najjar calmed our people that this decision will not affect the health services that they receive, and that the ministry is committed to provide the necessary treatment to all who need it. Al-Najjar said: ‘The decision is political par excellence, and comes in response to Israel deducting sums from the money that it collects for us.’”
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Israel's Anti "Pay-for-Slay" Law - 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]
“[PA] Ministry of Health Spokesman Osama Al-Najjar announced the cessation of medical referrals to the Israeli hospitals, starting from yesterday [March 26, 2019]. Al-Najjar explained that this decision was made in response to the deduction of sums from the taxes that [Israel] collects each month for the Palestinian coffers (refers to Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law to deduct terrorist salaries; see note below –Ed.). He added that the cost of the referrals to the Israeli hospitals is $100 million a year, and emphasized that the Ministry of Health will be committed to find alternatives for the sick in the state hospitals and in private hospitals. He also said that they are discussing additional alternatives, in case there will be a need for them. Al-Najjar calmed our people that this decision will not affect the health services that they receive, and that the ministry is committed to provide the necessary treatment to all who need it. Al-Najjar said: ‘The decision is political par excellence, and comes in response to Israel deducting sums from the money that it collects for us.’”
Click to view bulletin
Israel's Anti "Pay-for-Slay" Law - 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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