Seeking Legitimacy: Abbas Moves to End Stipends for Terrorists, Families

February 11, 2025

by: Einav Halabi ~ Ynetnews

Tuesday, 11 February 2025 | Has the final curtain fallen on payments to terrorists and their families? Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree on Monday canceling laws that allowed financial payments to families of prisoners in Israeli jails or to families of terrorists killed during attacks. This decision quickly drew condemnation from terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

According to the previous Palestinian policy, anyone imprisoned or harmed due to their involvement in terrorism was entitled to a salary and a stipend for their family. Additionally, families of terrorists killed in attacks received monthly support. Under this system, the severity of the punishment imposed on the terrorist determined the amount of the salary—the harsher the punishment, the higher the payment.

Abbas’ presidential decree cancels provisions within the laws and regulations that governed these financial payments to the families of prisoners, deceased, and injured terrorists. According to the decree, “all families receiving payments under the previous legislation will now fall under the same guidelines as families benefiting from social welfare programs. The authorities for the social welfare programs in the PA have been transferred to the Palestinian Economic Empowerment Fund, which will take responsibility for providing social care to all Palestinian families without discrimination.”

The Palestinian Economic Empowerment Fund is an independent legal entity managed by a board of trustees appointed by Abbas. It operates in accordance with the law, with clearly defined tasks and transparent mechanisms, and is subject to administrative and financial oversight, including monitoring by international institutions to ensure transparency, proper procedures, and fair distribution of resources.

Under the new decree, the fund will strive to collect all necessary funds, grants, and allocations for its various distribution categories, particularly in light of the significant increase in families requiring social care, support, and empowerment following the recent war in Gaza and the West Bank [Judea and Samaria]. The goal, as stated, is to strengthen the resilience of the Palestinian people and support the adoption of diverse social systems.

Officials in Ramallah noted that this move was made as part of efforts to bolster the PA’s standing and legal position at the United Nations and other international bodies, with the aim of achieving international recognition and full membership for the State of Palestine. This initiative is also part of broader efforts to protect key national interests.

According to the PA, “We must implement development and economic recovery plans, support reconstruction efforts, and work toward lifting the financial blockade and halting the illegal deductions imposed by Israeli occupation authorities on Palestinian taxpayers’ money, which amount to billions.”

Predictably, terror organizations are less than thrilled

Hamas condemned the move. “We denounce Abbas’ decision to cancel the financial stipends for the families of prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded, abandoning their national cause at a time when the people and resistance forces are working to protect the rights of released prisoners and to support their livelihoods,” the terrorist organization said. “This behavior is unpatriotic and represents a betrayal of one of the core national principles. We call for an immediate reversal of this decision and for resistance to Israeli and US pressure.”

Islamic Jihad also criticized the PA’s decision. “We condemn the decision by the Ramallah Authority to cancel financial stipends for the families of prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded. This decision is a clear abandonment of the prisoner issue and a blatant surrender to US and Zionist pressure. Halting stipends for prisoners, especially at a time when resistance forces have achieved victories over the enemy through prisoner exchanges, is an attempt to weaken our people’s morale and a betrayal of those who have sacrificed years of their lives behind bars.”

Posted on February 11, 2025

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on February 11, 2025. See original article at this link.)

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