NO TRUTH to the rumor promoted by anti-Israel activists masquerading as journalists and think tankers

Rumors that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had put an end to the PA’s “PAY FOR SLAY” terrorist martyr payments for killing Israelis were apparently false. The PA has paid monthly salaries to terrorists in prison or the families of terrorists killed by Israel for over 30 years. The program has paid out hundreds of millions of dollars annually in recent years…much of it funded by U.S. taxpayer payments to Palestinians via so-called United Nations ‘charity’ groups like UNRWA.

PalWatch  The Palestinian Authority continues its relentless glorification of terrorists who murder Israelis. The PA’s official daily, once again, has described the murderer of 7 people as a “Martyr” [Shahid in Arabic], meaning that he died while carrying out an idyllic act desired by Allah.

The PA is describing the terror attack in Jaffa on October 1, 2004 that killed Victor Shimshon Green, Revital Bronstein, Shahar Goldman, Nadia Sokolenco, Ilia Nozadze, and Jonas Chrosis as well as Inbar Segev Vigder, who was shielding her nine-month-old son, Ari.

According to the PA’s Islamist ideology, the “Martyr” Mesek and prisoner Al-Himouni are now both placed among an elite group of people whom PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has described as “the stars in the sky of the Palestinian people.”

Jewish Insider“Abbas and other top Palestinian Authority officials have said for years, over and over again, that they consider pay-for-slay payments and the terrorism those payments incentivize to be at the core of Palestinian governance and identity. They never stopped the payments, and they were never going to,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX).

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) called the news “despicable” and said that the development “absolutely” reaffirmed his position that the PA cannot be in control of Gaza or the West Bank. When told of Abbas’ comments, the Florida senator replied: “Well then, why would we ever deal with them?” “The only group that should be in control over there and that we can trust is the Israeli government,” Scott told JI.