This is a cross post from the Zionist Federation
Just over a week ago, the New York Times published one of the most shocking articles imaginable. “Remaking a Life, After Years in an Israeli Prison” focused on the apparent difficulties of a recently released Palestinian prisoner, struggling to adjust to a life of freedom. Over the course of the article, we learnt about the ‘frustrations’ of Muqdad Salah, one of the many prisoners Israel released last year in an effort to keep the peace process alive. ‘Frustrations’, such as Salah feeling that he had to make up for lost time; ‘frustrations,’ due to feeling he had wasted two decades behind bars.
And what exactly had Muqdad Salah done to earn his jail time? He had helped beat a sleeping 78-year old Holocaust survivor, Israel Tenenbaum, to death.
But what was most shocking about this article was not the implied sympathy for a man who had committed such an unspeakable crime. It was the quiet acknowledgement that he had in fact been rewarded for his actions: by the time he was released, he had already received over $100,000 in payments from the Palestinian Authority.
Because while Salah’s story is horrifying, it isn’t unique. Every single Palestinian who is convicted of terrorism by Israel is automatically put on the PA payroll, with the worst offenders drawing a monthly salary of £2000. Mahmoud Abbas spends millions every single month on these payments – around 5 per cent of his total budget – and it’s our taxpayer money that enables him to do so.
The Department for International Development (DfID) has already earmarked £33 million to go to the Palestinian Authority for the 2013/14 period, to say nothing of the millions that the EU will also pump into the PA coffers. Attempts to confront the recipients have got nowhere, with the Palestinian Minister responsible openly deriding Europeans who want their ‘money kept clean.’
If you don’t believe that our Department for International Development should continue to bankroll a government that throws money at Holocaust survivor-murderers, then please SIGN and SHARE our petition:
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/61684
Bob Blackman MP has already agreed to sponsor a debate in the House of Commons if we can reach our target of 100,000, stating:
“I strongly support this petition as evidence piles up that our taxpayers money is being used to promote violence and hatred to Palestinians against Israelis in particular and Jews in general. The position is very simple. Either the PA cease promoting hatred, terrorism and murder against Israelis or else UK and EU funding should be withdrawn. I have called on DfID to use their influence to require the PA to comply or else for funding to cease. At present, DfID has not done either although they do say that they work to encourage peace and reconciliation.”
Please help us reach that target – because salaries for terrorists can’t just be about accounting, but about holding those responsible to account.
