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Israel: PA Claims Poverty But Pays Stipends to Mass Murderers

(Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Daniel Ayalon told the Palestinian Donors Conference at the UN on Sep. 23: The present fiscal crisis was caused mainly by a shortfall in donor aid. According to the IMF, donations from Arab countries decreased by 49% since 2009. Furthermore, in the first half of 2012, Arab countries forwarded only 42% of their donation commitments to the PA. However, this is hardly the only reason for the economic crisis in the PA. There was also overspending in the implementation of the 2011 budget. In the past year and a half, Israel has approved 328 projects in Area C of the West Bank. However, the implementation of 53 projects has been suspended due to lack of donor funding. Israel welcomes the international community's support for approved projects in Area C. However, Israel cannot tolerate illegal construction in Area C, and calls on the international community not to be dragged into Palestinian political and diplomatic machinations against Israel. While the Palestinian leadership cries poverty, it is still able to find millions of dollars each and every month to fund convicted terrorists and the families of suicide bombers. As much as 6% of the PA budget is spent paying stipends to Palestinian terrorists in Israeli jails, including those who perpetrated mass murder, and the families of suicide bombers. Surely such stipends, many times the monthly wage of teachers and nurses, incentivizes a new generation of terrorists. Almost every day, official Palestinian Authority media glorifies mass murderers and calls on Palestinian children to follow in their footsteps. Israel is asking itself more and more how it can be expected to continue contributing and assisting an economy and a budget which is used to support those who killed our citizens and glorify their murderous activities.
2012-09-28 00:00:00
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