Fatah deputy glorifies terrorist leaders, supports salaries to terrorist prisoners

Headline: “Al-Aloul: The leadership will not submit to any pressures regarding the prisoners’ rights and entitlements”

“Fatah Movement Deputy Chairman [and Fatah Central Committee member] Mahmoud Al-Aloul emphasized that the prisoners constitute the embodiment of our battle against the occupation, and that we will not relinquish their cause and their rights and entitlements, regardless of the pressures and blackmail that will be implemented against us. Al-Aloul said in an interview on the program Topic of the Day on [official] PA TV: ‘The prisoners have great value for our people and their topic is at the top of the leadership’s priorities, and the main point of the latest battle we are waging is the prisoners, as we have refused to relinquish them and their rights and entitlements.’ He added: ‘On Prisoner’s Day we remember those who have sacrificed their lives in the occupation’s prisons and their relatives and mothers who share their suffering.’

He also said: ‘The prisoners had and still have an important position in the souls of our people that sanctifies those who sacrifice for its freedom and independence,’ and noted the importance of the public activity for their cause and the aid for them. Al-Aloul emphasized that the leadership will not submit to any pressures or political blackmail regarding closing the prisoners’ issue. He said: ‘As long as there is an occupation, there are resistance, sacrifice, Martyrs (Shahids), and prisoners.’ He added that the occupation’s theft of the Palestinian money (refers to Israeli Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law to deduct terrorist salaries; see note below –Ed.) has met with Palestinian refusal to relinquish the prisoners’ rights and [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas emphasizing that if we are left with just one penny we will allocate it to the Martyrs and prisoners. Al-Aloul emphasized that the prisoners’ issue is present in all circles, expressed appreciation for our people’s resolve given the difficult financial situation and the fact that the [PA] public employees are receiving 50% of their salaries as a result of the occupation’s theft of the Palestinian money, and viewed this as loyalty to the prisoners and their cause. On the day prisoner Marwan Barghouti (i.e., terrorist who orchestrated three attacks in which 5 were murdered) began his 18th year in the occupation’s prisons, Al-Aloul sent him and all of the prisoners a blessing, and emphasized that our people is loyal to the sacrifices they have made and will continue to struggle for their freedom as one of the basic Palestinian principles that cannot be relinquished. Regarding the 31st anniversary of the death as a Martyr of Khalil Al-Wazir ‘Abu Jihad’ (i.e., terrorist responsible for the murder of 125 Israelis), Al-Aloul said: 'The passing of this great commander was a shock for everyone who experienced it and also for the entire Palestinian people, the Arab nation, the freedom movements in the world, and the peoples that are striving for freedom.' He added: ‘Abu Jihad created hope, and not one bit of despair ever entered his heart for even a moment. He believed that victory would come and always emphasized that it is expected to come at any moment. He was convinced of his view and spread hope among those around him; and he also believed in national unity [achieved] through [activity] on the ground, and that the main dispute is with the occupation.’”

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. During the parliamentary vote, 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] In accordance with the law, as of September 2021 Israel’s Security Cabinet had ordered the freeze of 1.857 billion shekels ($580.15 million) - the sum equivalent to the PA payments to terrorists in 2018, 2019, and 2020.

Marwan Barghouti – Palestinian terrorist and member of the Palestinian Authority parliament who is serving 5 life sentences for orchestrating three shooting attacks in which 5 people were murdered: one attack on the Jerusalem-Maale Adumim road (June 12, 2001) in which Greek Orthodox monk Tsibouktsakis Germanus was murdered by terrorists Ismail Radaida and Yasser Ah'Rabai, another attack at a gas station in Givat Zeev near Jerusalem (Jan. 15, 2002) in which Yoela Hen was murdered by terrorists led by Mohammed Matla, and one shooting and stabbing attack at the Seafood Market restaurant in Tel Aviv (March 5, 2002) in which Eli Dahan, Yosef Habi, and Police Officer Sergeant-Major Salim Barakat, were murdered by terrorist Ibrahim Hasouna. When arrested by Israel in 2002, Barghouti headed the Tanzim (Fatah terror faction). After he was convicted and imprisoned, he was re-elected as a member of the Palestinian Authority parliament. On Dec. 4, 2016, he was elected to Fatah's Central Committee.

Abu Jihad (Khalil Al-Wazir) - was a founder of Fatah and deputy to Yasser Arafat. He headed the PLO terror organization's military wing and also planned many deadly Fatah terror attacks in the 1960’s - 1980’s. These attacks, in which a total of 125 Israelis were murdered, included the Coastal Road attack that (until Oct. 7, 2023) was the most lethal in Israeli history - the hijacking of a bus and murder of 37 civilians, 12 of them children.