MK Amit Halevi (Likud) sent an open letter to US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson warning that the Biden Administration's intention to resume financing the Palestinian Authority would legitimize the PA's 'pay for slay' policy in which it pays large salaries to terrorists who carry out attacks or murder Israelis.
The full text of MK Halevi's letter follows:
Dear Sir, I was shocked and alarmed to discover that the Biden Administration is on the brink of legalizing the financing of terrorism conducted by the Palestinian Authority. I appeal to you and all members of Congress to do everything in your power to prevent such an agreement, which will be a moral stain on the United States forever
Please allow me to elaborate:
1. Since 2004, the Palestinian Authority has been publicly paying salaries to Palestinian families of Palestinians terrorists that murder Jews. This terror financing is an incentive and encouragement to Palestinians to kill Jews and it is the law in the Palestinian Authority.
2. This grotesque terror financing led Congress to pass the Taylor Force Act in 2018 following the brutal murder of Taylor Force by a Palestinian, which stipulated that the US will not support organizations or countries that support and finance terrorist activities. Since then, the US has ceased aid to the Palestinian Authority, which continues to encourage and support Palestinian terrorism against Israel.
3. The public reports are that the Biden administration has reached an understanding with the Head of the Palestinian Authority that the criteria for financing terrorist families will be according to their financial situation and number of children, instead of who the Palestinian terrorist murdered. This reform will allow the Biden Administration to provide public legitimacy for Palestinian Authority terror financing under the facade of humanitarian aid, and also bypass the Taylor Force Act, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in Congress.
4. This whitewashing of terror funding along with an influx of millions of dollars of aid will certainly lead to increased terror against Jews. It will dovetail with the Palestinian Authority’s promotion of terror through education, diplomacy, international forums, religious institutions, and more. Fatah leaders in Judea and Samaria expressed public support for the barbaric massacre by Hamas on October 7th, a clear reminder that if these enemies of humanity have the means, they would not hesitate to attempt to carry out such heinous acts against Israelis.
I appeal to you as an Israeli member of the Knesset and as someone who values the strategic alliance between the people of the US and Israel and our governments, to act with all the tools at your disposal to prevent the materialization of this agreement, which will be a strategic blunder and moral stain on the US.
I will be happy to be at your service at any time, by phone or at a meeting, in order to expand on the serious implications of this policy shift would have on Israel, our alliance, and regional stability.
Sincerely,
MK Amit Halevi, Likud
Member of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee and chairman of the parliamentary friendship groups Israel-India, Israel-Poland and Israel-Bahrain
