Israel to deduct PA funds paid to terrorists from tax revenues

Amount paid by PA to terrorists’ families to be deducted from tax revenues in efforts to curb promotion of terror.

Israel is expected to begin deducting from tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority (PA) for its ongoing “terror salaries”.

The decision was made by the Israeli Diplomatic-Security Cabinet on Monday and is likely be approved in two weeks time. Under a law recently passed in Israel’s government, the Knesset, by both Prime Minister Netanyahu’s party, Likud, as well as the Yesh Atid party, Israel’s Defense Ministry would be required to provide data and report money paid by the PA to terrorists and their families. A deduction of the total amount of money paid would then be made to tax revenues to the Palestinians.

The efforts are intended to pressure the Palestinian Authority to reform or desist its payments to terrorists.

The Palestinian Authority pays the families of terrorists for attacks on Israeli citizens. Referred to as the “Palestinian Authority Martyrs Fund”, monthly stipends, anywhere from $800 to $3,000, are given to the families of terrorists. The fund includes resources for incarcerated Palestinian terrorists and their families, as well as funds for the families of terrorists who were killed by Israeli security forces.

Last week, the Palestinian Authority declined US financial aid in order to avoid lawsuits under the United States anti-terrorism law, the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act (ATCA) which went into effect on February 1. The law was passed by the US Congress and Senate to combat funding of terrorism in countries receiving aid from the United States and allow for legal action if funds are used for terrorism.

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