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How Terrorists Use Foreign Aid to Fund Terror

(Washington Times) Doug Lamborn and Elazar Stern - PA financial rewards for terror attacks is an issue that has brought us - members of the U.S. and Israeli legislatures - together, since Palestinian terror impacts both of our countries. It matters to Israel because the Palestinian funding invites constant attacks against Israelis. It matters to the U.S. not just because innocent Americans and Israelis are being murdered, but also because in the last 25 years the U.S. has sent more than $5 billion in foreign aid to the Palestinians. This aid is meant to foster stability and promote peace in the region. Yet the Palestinian Authority is using our aid for the exact opposite purpose. In the Israeli Knesset, a law has already passed the first stage of the legislative process that would impose a dollar-for-dollar deduction in the amount of tax revenues Israel transfers to the Palestinian Authority based on the amount the PA pays terrorists. Some will argue that we know exactly where our foreign aid is going. But the reality is that, despite our good intentions, when the U.S. pays for governance, utilities, and social welfare programs, it is freeing up PA money to pay for terrorist stipends. Others argue that these American and Israeli initiatives could destabilize the West Bank - but prominent Israeli national security figures reject this prediction, and the fact remains that the status quo itself is unstable. Funding that enables the PA to reward violence and killing is not a recipe for calmness, whereas removing an incentive to carry out acts of terror will be an important step toward peace and stability. But above all, our most basic moral value is the sanctity of human life. It is simply unacceptable to allow our money to promote murder. All civilized countries should stop aid money going to compensate acts of terror. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. IDF Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Elazar Stern is a member of the Knesset for the opposition Yesh Atid party.
2017-08-02 00:00:00
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