PA Prime Minister informs French General Consul that "the severe economic situation that the PA government is dealing with" is Israel's fault

Official PA TV News

Official PA TV newsreader: “[PA] Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh discussed the recent political developments in his office in Ramallah with French General Consul in Jerusalem René Troccaz. During the meeting, the prime minister briefed [Troccaz] on the severe economic situation that the [PA] government is dealing with, in the shadow of Israel’s ongoing unjust deduction of Palestinian [tax] money (refers to Israel’s Anti “Pay-for-Slay” Law to deduct PA terror salaries; see note below -Ed.). Shtayyeh also briefed Troccaz on Israel’s ongoing violations, and especially the settlement expansion and taking control of the lands, in addition to the recurring invasions of the Palestinian areas.”

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.