PA seeks to keep terrorist murderers paid via Jordanian bank accounts

“[PA] Monetary Authority Governor Azzam Al-Shawa emphasized today, Wednesday [May 6, 2020], in response to a question of a reporter of [the independent Palestinian news agency] Wattan about Jordanian banks having closed released prisoners’ accounts: ‘As of now, the banks have not closed released prisoners’ accounts.’ Al-Shawa added: ‘We heard about the matter in the media and have not seen it on the ground. This issue rises to the surface all the time.’

At a press conference that was held at the Monetary Authority headquarters in Ramallah, Al-Shawa emphasized that they are monitoring the matter so that we all will be certain that everything is being managed according to the Palestinian banking rules and regulations.

He added: ‘Consultation is being held with the brothers in the [PA] government and presidency to organize this matter in order to protect the rights of every Palestinian, whether he is a prisoner or a Martyr.’

Al-Shawa continued: ‘The issue is complicated, and the occupation has not officially informed us about this.’”

Israeli army legislation which applies parts of Israel's 2016 Anti-Terror Law to the West Bank (taking effect on May 9, 2020). The law prohibits numerous terror related offenses, including terror funding/rewarding and holds heads of terror organizations responsible for murder committed by members of the organization. The law criminalizes the provision of funds for or the payment of rewards for the commission of terrorist offenses, such as the salaries the PA pays to terrorist prisoners and released prisoners. The provision also applies to any person or body - such as a bank - that facilitates such funding or rewarding of terror offenses. Based on this last provision, PMW sent letters in April 2020 to the heads of banks in the PA areas warning them that they must freeze the accounts of terrorists and their proxies and transfer them to the Israeli army or face legal consequences.