PMW presents report in Dutch Parliament: PA payment of salaries to terrorists and Dutch funding

In April 2011, the PA signed and published a law in the official Palestinian Authority Registry which put all Palestinians and Israeli Arabs imprisoned in Israel for terror crimes on the PA payroll to receive a monthly salary from the PA.

In addition, the PA honors terrorists who have killed civilians, presenting them as heroes and role models and glorifies terror attacks as heroic, including suicide bombings.

The PA funds these salaries and activities from its general budget, and has stipulated by law that they are dependent on "available funding".

The Netherlands has funded PA salaries to civil servants which are paid from the same budget from which the PA draws money to pay terrorist salaries and glorify terrorists. By funding salaries to civil servants, the Netherlands helps free up money in the general budget, which can then be used to pay the salaries of terrorists in prison and funding the glorification of terrorists.

Answering parliamentary questions regarding Palestinian Media Watch's exposure of PA TV's glorification of two accomplices of terrorists who murdered 34 in 2 attacks, Dutch Foreign Minister Uri Rosenthal spoke out against glorification of terror:
The minister further commented:

The PA practice of glorifying terrorists and turning them into role models of society is contradictory to Dutch principles and Dutch intentions with the aid to the PA.

Palestinian Media Watch director Itamar Marcus presented these and other findings yesterday in Dutch Parliament, documenting the connection between Dutch funding and PA glorification of terrorists and payment of their salaries. Read the full report below or in pdf.

Palestinian Authority funding
and glorification of terrorists

- The Palestinian Authority pays monthly salaries to 5,500 prisoners in Israeli prisons, including terrorists
- The PA honors terrorists who have killed civilians, presenting them as heroes and role models
- The PA glorifies terror attacks as heroic, including suicide bombings
- The PA funds these salaries and activities from its general budget
1. New PA law enacts payment of monthly salaries to terrorists in Israeli prisons:
A law signed and published in the official Palestinian Authority Registry in April 2011 puts all Palestinians and Israeli Arabs imprisoned in Israel for terror crimes on the PA payroll to receive a monthly salary from the PA. [Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 15, 2011] This new law called PA Government Resolution of 2010, numbers 21 and 23, formalizes what has long been a PA practice.

2. Recipients of the monthly salary:
The PA has defined by law which Palestinians would be considered "prisoners":
According to the PA definition, more than 5,500 Palestinian prisoners serving time for terror-related offenses are recipients. [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, July 14, 2011] Palestinian car thieves in Israeli prisons will not receive a salary, but every terrorist in prison including murderers are on the PA payroll. The salary goes directly to the terrorist or the terrorist's family, and prisoners receive salary from the day of arrest. [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 15, 2011]

3. Hamas and Fatah terrorist prisoners receive monthly salaries:
"The PA's Ministry for Prisoner Affairs said that its policy had always been to pay salaries to prisoners and their families 'regardless of their political affiliations.'"

4. Total amount that the PA pays in salaries to prisoners monthly:
Total: 17,678,247 Shekel (3,479,022 Euro) a month, based on May 2011.

5. Terrorists in prison receive higher average salary than PA civil servants and military personnel?

Salary recipients	Average monthly salary
Civil servant	2,882 Shekel (€568)
Military personnel	2,704 Shekel (€533)
Prisoner	3,129 Shekel (€617)

6. PA salary payments to prisoners is dependent on foreign funding
The new PA law stipulates that payment of salaries "will be implemented... on the basis of available sources of funding." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 15, 2011] Accordingly, it is the contributions by Britain and other foreign donors to the PA general budget that facilitates the payment of monthly salaries to the terrorist prisoners.


7. The PA leadership and the structures they control present terrorist murderers as heroes and role models, and use the PA budget to honor them and glorify their terror attacks.

The following are examples from 2011:

8. PA TV honors terrorists involved in suicide bombing that killed 15
PA TV program In a Fighter's Home sent special greetings and praise to terrorist Ahlam Tamimi, who planned a bombing and escorted the suicide bomber by foot through Jerusalem to the Sbarro pizza shop in August 2001. 15 people were murdered in the attack, 7 of them children. The program also visited the home of terrorist Muhammad Wael Daghlas, who planned the attack and sent the suicide bomber. [PA TV, Aug. 10, 2011, reported in PMW bulletin, Sept. 4, 2011, http://bit.ly/nowmNF, http://bit.ly/oKDiBK]

9. PA TV continues to glorify most lethal terror attack in Israeli history
In 1978, a group of terrorists led by Dalal Mughrabi sailed from Lebanon to Israel to carry out a terror attack. They hijacked a bus and killed 37 Israeli civilians, 12 of them children. On the anniversary of the Fatah movement, PA TV chose to glorify the terror attack with a music video celebrating Mughrabi and the attack she led. The video shows a reenactment of the terrorists coming from Lebanon to Israel in boats. PA TV rebroadcast the video, which describes the terrorists as having "no fear of death or the darkness of prison," and glorifies Mughrabi's death: "On the coast [Dalal] Mughrabi's blood was shed, the color of [red] coral on [white] lemon flowers." [PA TV, Jan. 2, Aug. 24, and Sept. 4, 2011, reported in PMW bulletins, January 21 and Aug. 29, 2011, http://bit.ly/q4KMFs, http://bit.ly/qRb497, http://bit.ly/o24M4F]

10. PA TV honors terrorist involved in 3 attacks that killed 51
PA TV program For You honored terrorist prisoner Salim Hijja, by visiting his family. Hajja is serving 16 life sentences for involvement in three suicide bombings that killed a total of 51 people. Hajja's mother-in-law expresses the hope that Hajja's son Omar will be a "hero" like his father. The son, Omar, says, "Daddy is a hero. I am very proud of him." [PA TV (Fatah), Aug. 11, 2011]

11. Abbas representative honors terrorist planner of attack that killed 11
Amin Al-Hindi was a senior planner of the murder of 11 Israeli athletes in the Munich Olympics in 1972. Abdallah Al-Ifranji, special representative of President Mahmoud Abbas, honored Al-Hindi by laying a wreath on his grave on the anniversary of his death. [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 18, 2011]

12. PA TV honors planner of suicide bombing that killed 14
Program For You honored prisoners Abd Al-Rahman and Abdallah Al-Wahsh, by visiting their homes in Jenin. Abdallah Al-Wahsh was active in Islamic Jihad, and sent a suicide bomber to an attack in 2002, killing 14. Abd Al-Rahman was a leader of the Jerusalem Brigades, the military wing of Islamic Jihad, and was involved in terror attacks. [PA TV (Fatah), Aug. 18, 2011]

13. PA TV honors terrorist prisoner with visit to her family
PA TV program In a Fighter's Home honored terrorist prisoner Rima Daragmeh by visiting her family together with the PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa Karake. Daragmeh was involved in enlisting the woman who carried out a suicide bombing in Afula in 2003, and was arrested while intending to carry out a suicide bombing. [PA TV (Fatah), Aug. 16, 2011]

14. Presidential gift awarded to family of terrorist who planned suicide bombing
Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa Karake, and the District Governor of Hebron, Kamel Hamid, honored terrorist prisoner Al-Sharbati, presenting his family with a presidential gift from Mahmoud Abbas. Al-Sharbati was a senior member of Tanzim, a military wing of Fatah, and was involved in planning a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Aug. 8, 2011]

15. PA TV honors planner of suicide bombing with visit to his home
PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs, Issa Karake, and District Governor of Hebron, Kamel Hamid again honored terrorist prisoner Yasser Al-Sharbati, with a visit to his family on the PA TV program In a Fighter's Home. As stated, Al-Sharbati was involved in planning a suicide bombing in Jerusalem. [PA TV (Fatah), Aug. 15, 2011]

16. PA TV honors female suicide bomber with visit to her mother
PA TV program The Best Mothers interviewed the mother of female suicide bomber Darin Abu Aisheh, who carried out a terror attack in 2002, wounding 3 Israelis. The program shows a poster of Abu Aisheh displayed in the mother's home, describing her as "the heroic Martyrdom-seeker." [PA TV, Aug. 3, 2011, reported in PMW bulletin, Aug. 10, 2011, http://bit.ly/nfoAXm, http://bit.ly/pmjTLH]

17. PA TV honors terrorist "Martyr" with visit to his mother
PA TV program The Best Mothers interviewed the mother of a bomb maker from Fatah's military wing, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, named Yusuf Shaker Al-Asi. PA TV included in the edited feature a poem and a poster of the bomb maker with an inscription praising Martyrdom for Allah. [PA TV, Aug. 2, 2011, reported in PMW bulletin, Aug. 18, 2011, http://bit.ly/pTSfSh, http://bit.ly/mUZVK8]

18. PA TV honors terrorist who killed 30 with visit to his home
PA TV program In a Fighter's Home visits the home of prisoner Anas Jaradat, who served as head of the Islamic Jihad in Jenin and was responsible for bringing 3 car bombs into Israel, killing nearly 30 Israelis. Secretary of the Fatah branch in Jenin, Ata Abu Ramila, referred to Jaradat on the program as "the heroic Jihad-figher prisoner" and expressed his pride in "all the heroic prisoners." [PA TV (Fatah), Aug. 3, 2011, http://bit.ly/pvbdJ3]

19. PA TV glorifies terrorist who killed 3 with visit to his home
PA TV program In a Fighter's Home visits the home of prisoner Amer Abu Sarhan, convicted of stabbing 3 Israelis to death in 1990. The District Governor of Bethlehem refers to Sarhan as "the heroic prisoner" and says, "We honor him greatly... To all his fellow prisoners - the brave and heroic who are resolute in Ribat (i.e., religious conflict/war), to the glorious female prisoners in the occupation's prisons - we salute you [and express our] utmost appreciation and pride." [PA TV (Fatah), Aug. 2, 2011, http://bit.ly/oQlYrg]

20. PA TV rebroadcasts video presenting female terrorist as role model
PA TV repeatedly broadcast a video honoring terrorist Dalal Mughrabi, referring to her as a symbol of "Martyrdom" and "victory over enmity." Dalal Mughrabi led a bus hijacking in 1978, killing 37 Israeli civilians, 12 of them children. [PA TV (Fatah), May - July, 2011, twice weekly, Nov. - Dec., 2010 weekly, reported in PMW bulletin, Aug. 29, 2011, http://bit.ly/qRb497, http://bit.ly/pny4wn]

21. A Palestinian Authority summer camp for children sponsored by PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad divided its campers into three groups named after the terrorists Dalal Mughrabi, Salah Khalaf and Abu Ali Mustafa. [Al-Ayyam, July 20, 2011, reported in PMW bulletin, July 21, 2011, http://bit.ly/oVzT5o]

Dalal Mughrabi in 1978 led the most lethal terror attack in Israel's history, in which 37 civilians were killed, including one American and 12 children.
Salah Khalaf (Abu Iyad), head of Black September terror group, planned the murder of two American diplomats, and the Munich Olympics attack in 1972, and other terror attacks.
Abu Ali Mustafa, General Secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, planned many terror attacks against civilians.

22. PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad honored terrorist bombers
"Prime Minister Salam Fayyad opened his weekly radio address... by sending greetings to the Palestinian mother in honor of Mothers' Day... He said, 'On this occasion, I will not fail to mention with honor and admiration the resolve of the female prisoners, the fighters, and of all the prisoners of freedom who are imprisoned in the Israeli prisons, experiencing indescribable suffering... I make special mention of all the female prisoners who are mothers: Iman Ghazawi;... Qahira Al-Sa'adi; Irena Sarahneh; Latifa Abu Zara'a...'" [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 24, 2011, reported in PMW bulletin, March 27, 2011, http://bit.ly/gM4Fo5]

Qahira Al-Sa'adi and Irena Sarahneh, drove suicide bombers to their attacks killing 5.
Iman Ghazawi, placed a bomb in a bus station in Tel Aviv.
Latifa Abu Zara'a, smuggled a bomb into Israel for a suicide terror attack that was uncovered before it was implemented.

23. Abbas granted $2000 to family of terrorist
In January 2011, a Palestinian terrorist carrying two pipe bombs ran towards Israeli soldiers screaming "Allahu Akbar" ("Allah is Greatest"). He was shot and killed. PA Chairman Abbas granted "the relatives of the Martyr" - $2000. [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Jan. 25, 2011, reported in PMW bulletin, Jan. 27, 2011, http://bit.ly/ntSTqn]

24. PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs honored terrorist responsible for murder of 30
PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake visited the family of the terrorist Abbas Al-Sayid who planned the Passover suicide bombing in 2002. 30 Israelis were killed in the terror attack during the Passover Seder dinner. The PA minister handed the family an honorary plaque. [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, March 29, 2011, reported in PMW bulletin, March 31, 2011, http://bit.ly/dUzjPa]

25. PA erected tree with pictures of 73 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences
PA Minister of Prisoners' Affairs Issa Karake participated in a ceremony honoring all 73 Palestinians from Bethlehem serving life sentences in prison. The PA unveiled a "Tree of Freedom for Prisoners" decorated with 73 "photographs of prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 20, 2011, reported in PMW bulletin, May 19, 2011, http://bit.ly/jgbfME]

26. PA officials visited homes of terrorists serving life sentences
Riyad Al-Amour - Serving 11 life sentences for murder of 9 Israelis and 3 Palestinians he suspected of helping Israel.
Adnan Al-Afandi - Attempted to kill two children by stabbing them, 1992
Nasser and Mahmoud Abu Sorour - Participated in murder of Israeli Intelligence agent.
Rizq Salah - Killed an Israeli soldier with a bomb in Bethlehem, 1993.

27. The official PA daily: 4 terrorists involved in murdering 117 Israelis are "heroic"
The official PA daily reported on the visit of the Palestinian Prisoners' Center for Studies to the homes of terrorists serving life sentences for murder. The PA daily referred to the terrorists as follows: "The heroic prisoners Abbas and Abdallah Barghouti, Mahmoud Issa, Jamal Abu Al-Haija, Hassan Salameh..." [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, April 13, 2011]

Abdallah Barghouti - sentenced to 67 life sentences for preparing explosives for terror attacks in which 66 Israelis were murdered - Sbarro restaurant (Aug. 9, 2001), Moment Café (March 9, 2002), and the triple attack at the Ben Yehuda pedestrian mall (Dec. 1, 2001).
Hassan Salameh - is serving 46 life sentences for heading the terror infrastructure that carried out 2 suicide bombings on no. 18 buses in Jerusalem (first attack on Feb. 25, 1996, second attack on March 3, 1996), and the suicide bombing at the Ashkelon Junction hitchhike point (Feb. 25, 1996). 46 people were killed in the attacks and around 100 were wounded.Jamal Abu Al-Haija - 9 life sentences for involvement in suicide bombing attacks in Hadera shopping mall (Oct. 26, 2005) and at Herzl Street in Netanya (Dec. 5, 2005)
Mahmoud Issa - serving 3 life sentences. Member of the squad that kidnapped and murdered Israeli soldiers, including Nissim Toledano (Dec. 13, 1992).

28. Official PA TV honored the woman who led a suicide terrorist to his bombing that murdered 15 in pizza shop attack
PA TV broadcast a program honoring Ahlam Tamimi, the woman who planned and led the suicide terrorist to the Sbarro pizza restaurant in Jerusalem in August 2001. 15 people were murdered in the attack, 7 of them children. Visiting Tamimi's home, the PA TV crew interviewed her relatives, and the camera focused on an award which read:

29. Official PA TV honored driver of suicide terrorist who murdered 19 on bus
PA TV honored terrorist, Fahami Mashahra, who drove a suicide bomber to Jerusalem in 2001 in which 19 were murdered. The PA TV host said to his daughter:


33. The Palestinian Authority pays over € 3,665,239 a month directly to terrorists as salaries. In addition to the examples cited here, Palestinian Media Watch has documented many other examples of the PA's honoring terrorists and presenting them as heroes and role models. Still in 2011, this glorification of terrorists is a mainstay of PA policy under Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and PM Salam Fayyad, who as shown above are actively involved.

34. In March 2011, the Dutch parliament adopted the following motion (submitted by Van der Staaij/Voordewind) which stated:

- “considering that the Palestinian Authority receives a considerable amount of funds from the Netherlands and the European Union

- considering that a climate is sustained in the Palestinian territories in which terrorist acts are being encouraged instead of being acted against and that this occurs, among other things, in the educational system and by naming public facilities after terrorists

- calls upon the government to act both in the Netherlands and in the context of the EU to prevent the supply of funding to the Palestinian Authority if no concrete and effective measures are being taken to act against the glorification and whitewashing of terrorism.”

Later in March 2011, answering parliamentary questions regarding Palestinian Media Watch’s exposure of Palestinian Authority TV’s glorification of two accomplices of terrorists who murdered 34 in 2 attacks. The Dutch Foreign Minister Mr. Rosenthal answered as follows:

“The Dutch government distances itself from these statements made on the Palestinian state television. Glorification of violence is unacceptable to the Dutch government. After inquiring with other diplomatic missions, the Dutch representation in Ramallah has not received indications that this is a structural matter. For example, both the recent murder of the Israeli family in Itamar on the West Bank and the bomb attack at the Jerusalem bus station was condemned directly by the PA.”

“The glorification of suicide terrorism is unacceptable. When it is shown that the PA structurally condones, glorifies and/or incites to violence this must have consequences for the international support of the PA. But I [Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Rosenthal] have no indications of this. …”
 

[In reply to a question about the need to postpone President Abbas' visit to the Netherlands since he has continued to condone violence against Jews and Israel]:

“President Abbas has explicitly distanced himself from terror attacks and promised the cooperation of the PA to find the perpetrators. The PA conducts a policy to discourage the glorification of violence and the incitement to hatred. I therefore see no reason to cancel the invitation to president Abbas.”
 

35. According to a news report on the public Radio Netherland’s Worldwide, the Netherlands give 50 million euros annually in aid to the Palestinians:

“The Dutch government has an official representative in the Palestinian Territories, and gives 50 million euros annually in aid. Palestine will continue to receive direct Dutch aid, even as other countries are cut.” 
 [http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/critical-red-carpet-treatment-palestinian-leader ,

June 30, 2011]

“The Government of the Netherlands has also made a contribution of €5.1 million to cover part of the January wage bill of almost 19,000 members of the Palestinian civil police and the civil defence, which includes fire-fighters and rescue workers.”

“The contribution of the Netherlands complements the ongoing programme of EU assistance to the Palestinian Authority to ensure the continuous provision of essential public services across all the occupied Palestinian territory.
‘This payment is a fulfillment of the Dutch obligations towards the support of the two states solution, and in particular to the Palestinian statehood plan, and an appreciation of the reform efforts of the PA especially in the fields of justice and rule of law.’ said Mr Jack Twiss Quarles van Ufford, the Head of the Netherlands Representative Office to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
The €5.1 million contribution of the Dutch Government to the January salaries of the Palestinian civil police and the civil defence follows similar contributions made in 2008 and 2009, which were also channeled through PEGASE. This new contribution is in line with the overall Dutch support to the justice and rule of law sector in the occupied Palestinian territory.”

According to the official Palestinian Authority daily, the Netherlands contribute € 39,928,716 annually to the Palestinian territories:


In order to assure that Dutch funding does not go to terrorists or their glorification, there are clearly defined and quantifiable steps that the Palestinian Authority should implement:

1. The PA should repeal the law "PA Government resolutions, numbers 21 and 23 of 2010" which grants all terrorists in Israeli prisons a PA monthly salary
2. The PA should stop paying salaries to terrorists in Israeli prisons (as they have admitted to doing even before the law)
3. The PA should stop honoring and role modeling terrorists through naming of places and events in their honor
4. The PA should stop having PA dignitaries and ministers visit terrorists' homes and stop granting their families awards in their names

All of these steps can be implemented immediately and are easily monitored.



The following is the article in the official PA daily quoting the new Palestinian Authority law:
1. Government resolution #19 of 2010...:
A released prisoner will be exempt from tuition fees at government schools and universities if he served a period of five years or more in prison. A released female prisoner who served at least three years in prison will be exempt from tuition fees at government schools and universities. These prisoners are entitled to transfer the exemption to one of their children, or to their spouse...
The Palestinian Authority is committed to providing the opportunity for academic study for prisoners in Israeli prisons, by covering all study expenses for all stages of university study available to prisoners.
A prisoner's children will be exempt from 80% of academic tuition fees if the prisoner was sentenced to at least 20 years and has been in prison for at least 5 years. Children of a female prisoner will be exempt from 80% of university tuition fees if the prisoner was sentenced to at least 10 years, and has served as least 3 years.
Every released prisoner will be exempt from governmental health insurance if he served at least 5 years in prison, and for female prisoners - at least 3 years. ...

2. Government resolution #21 of 2010, concerning the amendment to provide for the needs of prisoners within Israeli prisons:
a. Every prisoner will be paid a uniform sum linked to the cost of living index, as a monthly expenditure ...
b. Every prisoner will be paid a uniform sum of 400 [Israeli] Shekels for clothing. The sum will be paid twice a year, and will be added to the prisoner's salary...

3. Government resolution # 22 of 2010, concerning the amendment to provide for the prisoners' legal needs...

4. Government resolution # 23 of 2010 concerning the amendment on payment of a monthly salary to the prisoner:
Every prisoner will be granted a monthly salary, to be paid to him or to his family, on condition that he does not receive a salary from a [different] governmental or semi-governmental body or official institution... The salary will be paid to the prisoner from the date of his arrest, and a special supplement will be paid to prisoners from Jerusalem and from the Interior [i.e., Israeli Arabs]; a spousal supplement will be paid, and a special supplement for children up to the age of 18...
The minimum salary for a prisoner, to be paid to him from the beginning of his detention and for up to 3 years, is 1400 Shekels (€ 275). Prisoners who have been imprisoned between 3 and 5 years will receive 2,000 Shekels (€ 393). Those imprisoned between 5 and 10 years will receive 4,000 Shekels (€ 787). Those imprisoned between 10 and 15 years will receive 6,000 Shekels (€ 1,180). Those imprisoned between 15 and 20 years will receive 7,000 Shekels (€ 1,377). Those imprisoned between 20 and 25 years will receive 8,000 Shekels (€ 1,574). Those imprisoned between 25 and 30 years will receive 10,000 Shekels (€ 1,968). Those who have been imprisoned 30 years or more will receive 12,000 Shekels (€ 2,361).
A supplement of 300 Shekels (€ 59) will be added to the salary of every married prisoner, as well as a supplement for children up to the age of 18 in the amount of 50 Shekels (€ 10) for every boy or girl, in addition to a supplement for prisoners from Jerusalem in the amount of 300 Shekels (€ 59), and a supplement for prisoners from the Interior (i.e., Israeli Arabs) in the amount of 500 Shekels (€ 98) ...
These regulations will be implemented from Jan. 1, 2011, on the basis of available sources of funding."


“An official document, a copy of which reached Life and the Market (supplement to the official PA daily), reveals that the cost of salaries [in the PA budget] is much higher than people think. According to the document, the sum of monthly salaries for May 2011 totaled 727,287,824 Shekel (€ 143,509,777), paid from the treasury of the [Palestinian] National Authority…
The document shows that the largest portion of the salaries’ expense - more than 40% - was paid to civil servants. A total of 293,435,045 Shekel (€ 57,900,962) was paid to 101,802 civil servants, about three quarters of them in the West Bank. The average salary for a civil servant in the Palestinian Authority is 2882 Shekels (€ 568)…

The military personnel of the Palestinian Authority occupy second place – 24% - in the cost of salaries, with a total of 172,873,226 Shekels (€ 34,042,544). Surprisingly, the Gaza Strip represents more than 55% of the total cost of salaries of military personnel. The average salary for members of the PA military personnel is 2704 Shekels (€ 532)…

The PA transfers about 7% of the cost of salaries overseas, in the form of salaries to personnel at consulates and the Palestine National Fund, foreign fronts, and PLO forces and institutions, in the amount of 51,872,446 Shekels (€ 10,223,349).
As for the prisoners (i.e., in Israeli prisons), they receive approximately 2.5% of the cost of salaries [for May], in the form of salaries and [additional] payments, totaling 17,678,247 Shekels ($5,211,747; € 3,481,170).
Taking care of families of Shahids (Martyrs), inside and outside [the PA], totals about 3.5% of the total cost of salaries [for May], in the amount of 26,458,137 Shekels (€ 5,209,096).
The West Bank received the majority of the payments and salaries to prisoners, while the Gaza Strip receives a greater portion of the budget for assistance to Shahids’ families. The average prisoner salary is 3129 Shekels (€ 615)… Salaries for members of the inactive Parliament (Legislative Council) [which has not been meeting since the Fatah–Hamas conflict] totaled approximately 0.5% of the cost of salaries – 3,272,316 Shekels (€ 643,683).”

Dutch funding of salaries for the Palestinian police force and civil defense, January 2011

Dutch sources re. motion in parliament and questions and answers to and from Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding Palestinian Authority glorification of terror and terrorists

21 501-02 Raad Algemene Zaken en Raad Buitenlandse Zaken
Nr. 1039 MOTIE VAN DE LEDEN VAN DER STAAIJ EN VOORDEWIND
Voorgesteld 17 maart 2011
De Kamer, gehoord de beraadslaging, overwegende, dat de Palestijnse Autoriteit veel subsidiegeld van Nederland en de Europese Unie ontvangt; overwegende, dat in de Palestijnse gebieden een klimaat wordt gevoed waarin terroristische daden worden aangemoedigd in plaats van tegengegaan, onder meer in het onderwijs en door het vernoemen van openbare voorzieningen naar terroristen; verzoekt de regering zowel in Nederland als in Europees verband er werk van te maken dat subsidie aan de Palestijnse Autoriteit niet wordt gegeven indien geen concrete en effectieve maatregelen worden genomen om verheerlijken en vergoelijken van terrorisme tegen te gaan, en gaat over tot de orde van de dag. Van der Staaij Voordewind
Tweede Kamer, vergaderjaar 2010–2011, 21 501-02, nr. 1039

Vragen gesteld door de leden der Kamer, met de daarop door de regering gegeven antwoorden

Questions and answers to and from the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Rosenthal

2422
Vragen van het lid Voordewind (ChristenUnie) aan de minister van Buitenlandse Zaken over de verheerlijking van het zelfmoordterrorisme op de staatstelevisie van de Palestijnse Autoriteit (ingezonden 21 maart 2011).
Antwoord van minister Rosenthal (Buitenlandse Zaken) (ontvangen 3 mei 2011).

Vraag 1
Heeft u kennisgenomen van het bericht «PA honors drivers of suicide terrorists who murdered 34 in 2 attacks»?1 Heeft u tevens kennisgenomen van het overzicht «Glorifying terrorists and terror» op dezelfde website?

Antwoord 1
Ja.

Vraag 2
Wat is uw oordeel over deze voorbeelden waarbij de Palestijnse Autoriteit het zelfmoordterrorisme verheerlijkt? Heeft u kennisgenomen van andere voorbeelden waarbij de Palestijnse Autoriteit het zelfmoordterrorisme verheerlijkt? Zo ja, kunt u hiervan een overzicht verschaffen?

Antwoord 2
De regering neemt afstand van deze verklaringen op Palestijnse staatstelevi-sie. Verheerlijking van geweld is voor de Nederlandse regering onaanvaard-baar. De Nederlandse vertegenwoordiging in Ramallah heeft mede op basis van navraag bij andere diplomatieke missies geen aanwijzingen ontvangen dat het hier om een structurele kwestie gaat. Zowel de recente moord op de Israëlische familie in Itamar op de Westelijke Jordaanoever als de aanslag op het busstation in Jeruzalem is bijvoorbeeld direct door de PA veroordeeld.

Vraag 3
Deelt u de mening dat de Palestijnse Autoriteit hierbij openlijk afstand neemt de tweestatenoplossing? Zo nee, waarom niet? Zo ja, welke consequenties heeft dit voor het perspectief op duurzame vrede? 1 website van Palestinian Media Watch, 17 maart 2011.
Tweede Kamer, vergaderjaar 2010–2011, Aanhangsel 1

Antwoord 3
Deze mening deel ik niet. De Palestijnse Autoriteit streeft een tweestatenop-lossing op basis van de grenzen van 1967 na. Dit komt ook tot uitdrukking in de politiek van premier Fayyad die gericht is op de opbouw van Palestijnse staatsinstellingen.

Vraag 4
Deelt u de mening dat het verheerlijken van zelfdmoordterroristen door de Palestijnse Autoriteit onaanvaardbaar is? Deelt u tevens de overtuiging dat het hier niet meer incidenten betreft maar dat het verheerlijken van dodelijk geweld tegen joden en Israël structurele vormen heeft aangenomen? Zo nee, waarom niet?

Antwoord 4
Het verheerlijken van zelfmoordterreur is onaanvaardbaar. Wanneer blijkt dat de PA geweld structureel goedkeurt, verheerlijkt en/of aanzet tot geweld zal dat consequenties moeten hebben voor de internationale steun voor de PA. Hiervoor heb ik echter geen indicatie. Tripartite dialoog tussen de VS, Israël en de PA over het tegengaan van verheerlijking van geweld biedt een platform aan Israëli’s en Palestijnen om hun grieven op zakelijke wijze te verwoorden en zal bijdragen aan een dialoog op dit gebied. Nederland is daar voorstander van.

Vraag 5
Deelt u de mening dat de uitnodiging aan President Abbas ongepast is zolang de Palestijnse Autoriteit het geweld tegen joden en Israël verheerlijkt? Zo nee, waarom niet? Zo ja, bent u bereid de uitnodiging aan President Abbas op te schorten zolang het verheerlijken van geweld tegen joden en Israël nog altijd doorgang vindt?

Antwoord 5
President Abbas heeft expliciet afstand genomen van terroristische aanslagen en medewerking van de PA toegezegd bij de opsporing. De PA voert beleid om verheerlijking van geweld en haatzaaien te ontmoedigen. Ik zie dan ook geen reden om de uitnodiging aan president Abbas in te trekken.
Tweede

Sources on EU and Dutch aid to Palestinians:
“The EU and The Netherlands contribute to the Palestinian Authority's payment of January salaries and pensions
Report
European Union
Today the European Union is providing a contribution of €20.0 million to help the Palestinian Authority pay the January salaries and pensions of almost 85,000 Palestinian public service providers and pensioners, both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Government of the Netherlands has also made a contribution of €5.1 million (around 25 million Shekels) to cover part of the January wage bill of almost 19,000 members of the Palestinian civil police and the civil defence, which includes fire-fighters and rescue workers. Both contributions are being channeled through PEGASE[1], the European mechanism for support to the Palestinians.
"After three years of using this successful instrument to facilitate the reforms of the Palestinian Authority, the EU is ready to continue providing tangible support to the priorities set in the PA's Palestinian National Plan for 2011-2013. Today's contribution is part of a €100 million financial package to the Palestinian people that the EU decided to frontload for 2011. As has been done in previous years, the EU is ready to make its funds available when the PA needs it the most - in other words at the beginning of each year - showing in practice that not only is it the single largest donor for the Palestinian people but also their most reliable partner", said Mr Christian Berger, the EU Representative.
The contribution of the Netherlands complements the ongoing programme of EU assistance to the Palestinian Authority to ensure the continuous provision of essential public services across all the occupied Palestinian territory.
"This payment is a fulfilment of the Dutch obligations towards the support of the two states solution, and in particular to the Palestinian statehood plan, and an appreciation of the reform efforts of the PA especially in the fields of justice and rule of law." said Mr Jack Twiss Quarles van Ufford, the Head of the Netherlands Representative Office to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
The €5.1 million contribution of the Dutch Government to the January salaries of the Palestinian civil police and the civil defence follows similar contributions made in 2008 and 2009, which were also channeled through PEGASE. This new contribution is in line with the overall Dutch support to the justice and rule of law sector in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Background
Most of the EU assistance to the Palestinian Authority is channelled through PEGASE, the financial mechanism launched in 2008 to support the three-year Reform and Development Plan presented in 2007. As well as helping to meet a substantial proportion of its running costs, European funds support major reform and development programmes in key ministries, to help prepare the PA for statehood in line with the plan put forward by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in August 2009. Since 2007 the EU has provided total assistance to the Palestinian people amounting to €1.45billion.
For further information in Arabic and English on the EU's assistance to the occupied Palestinian territory and the PEGASE mechanism, please visit: www.delwbg.ec.europa.eu “

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