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Palestinians Funneled Hundreds of Millions to Terrorists, State Department Report Reveals
(Washington Free Beacon) Adam Kredo - The Biden administration has privately confirmed to Congress that the Palestinian Authority has continued to use international aid money to reward terrorists but said the finding won't impact its plans to restart funding. A State Department report on March 18 said the Palestinians spent $151 million in 2019 on its "pay-to-slay" program, in which international aid dollars are spent to support imprisoned terrorists and their families. Financial statements further indicate that $191 million was spent on "deceased Palestinians referred to as 'martyrs.'" This practice violates U.S. law and prompted the Trump administration to freeze aid to the Palestinians. A 2018 bipartisan law - the Taylor Force Act - prohibits the U.S. government from resuming Palestinian aid until the payments to terrorists are stopped. The State Department admitted it was "unable to certify" to Congress that the Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organization are complying with the Taylor Force Act, primarily because they have "not terminated payments for acts of terrorism to any individual, after being fairly tried, who has been imprisoned for such acts of terrorism and to any individual who died committing such acts of terrorism, including to a family member of such individuals." In addition, the State Department determined the Palestinian government has "not taken proactive steps to counter incitement to violence against Israel." Thus, the U.S. government also could not certify for Congress that the PA has made good on repeated promises to end incitement. "Incitement to violence and glorification of terrorism occur in public statements and social media posts by PA officials and politicians, in official media broadcasts and social media outlets, and in school textbooks."