Palestinian Authority's Controversial Payment Reforms Under Scrutiny

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has accused Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas of misleading the public regarding reforms to the PA's "pay-for-slay" policy, which previously provided financial benefits to the families of individuals involved in terrorism. Despite the PA's announcement of reforms that would condition welfare stipends on financial need rather than the length of imprisonment, Sa’ar claims that the PA continues to disguise payments to terrorists as pensions or salaries for security services. He has called for the international community to hold the PA accountable for what he describes as a deceptive continuation of the old payment system.

Times of Israel‘Pay-for-Slay’ – Palestinian Authority still paying out money to terroristsThe Jerusalem Report

The "pay-for-slay" policy has been a contentious issue, with critics arguing that it incentivizes violence against Israelis. The PA's reforms, which were long demanded by the United States and Israel, aimed to address these concerns by altering the payment structure. However, the PA's commitment to these reforms has been questioned, particularly following Abbas's statements reaffirming loyalty to the families of "martyrs" and "steadfast prisoners."

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In response to Sa’ar's accusations, the PA's welfare agency has asserted that it is fully compliant with the new payment policy, stating that the previous system has been abolished. They expressed readiness to cooperate with international audits to verify the implementation of reforms. Conversely, Israel's National Security Council has dispatched a delegation to Brussels to argue that the reforms are superficial and that payments continue under the old system.

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The PA's reforms have sparked protests across the West Bank, with demonstrators accusing the leadership of criminalizing the Palestinian national struggle. Critics, including the Palestinian National Popular Action Forum, argue that these payments are a moral obligation rooted in Palestinian law, and they condemn the PA's decision to transfer payment responsibilities to a government-affiliated body, the Tamkeen Foundation. This shift has been characterized as a denial of rights, framing families of prisoners as mere "social cases" rather than entitled beneficiaries.

There are conflicting reports regarding the actual implementation of the PA's reforms. While the PA claims to have ended the old payment system, Israeli officials maintain that payments continue under various guises. The U.S. has not confirmed the PA's reform efforts, and an invitation for a U.S. delegation to verify the changes has gone unanswered.

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• “continuing to lie about ending the PA’s distorted policy of paying salaries to these despicable terrorists and their families. Instead of ending all payments, he’s disguising many of them as payments to pensioners and salaries of the PA Security Services.” — Gideon Sa’ar, Israeli Foreign Minister

‘Pay-for-Slay’ – Palestinian Authority still paying out money to terrorists

• “The payment system linked to the number of years of imprisonment has been completely and permanently abolished and is no longer in effect in any way,” — PA Welfare Agency Statement

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• “[one that] most urgently requires unity, cohesion, and the consolidation of efforts to confront conspiracies targeting our national rights” — Palestinian National Popular Action Forum Statement

The situation remains fluid, with ongoing monitoring of the PA's payment practices and potential international involvement to verify the reforms. The PA's ability to navigate these pressures while maintaining public support will be critical in the coming months.

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