Palestinian Authority rejects 'mad' request to end prisoners' payment

Source: Jerusalem Post | May 4, 2017 | Yasser Okbi/ Maariv Hashavua

PA official also said that “the prisoners are victims of Israel and the result of the occupation,” and drew an equivalence with the “IDF paying the salaries of Israeli soldiers.”

Nabil Shaath, a senior foreign policy adviser to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, said Thursday that anyone who expects the Palestinian leadership to halt payments to Palestinian prisoners serving sentences in Israeli security prisons must be “mad.”

During an interview with Israel Radio, he added that such a demand would severely damage any prospects of Middle East peace negotiations.

Shaath also stated that “the prisoners are victims of Israel and the result of the occupation,” and likened the demand to halt payments to the prisoners, some of whom are convicted murderers, to asking Israel to stop paying the salaries of its soldiers.”

The senior adviser, however, said that Trump’s invitation to Abbas was a good starting point between the Palestinian Authority and the new US administration, expressing his “appreciation” for the “respectful” approach of the president in an attempt to relaunch the peace process.

The request for the Palestinian Authority to cease from making payments to the families of prisoners has been raised by Israel repeatedly. Senior officials had stressed the importance of the issue to their counterparts in Washington ahead of the Wednesday meeting between the American and Palestinian presidents.

Shaath’s statement came the day after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that the president wanted Abbas to “resolve” the PA’s policy of paying terrorists and their families a monthly income. Spicer added that Trump told his Palestinian counterpart, who arrived in Washington on Wednesday afternoon, that the PA must also cease incitement broadcasted on Palestinian television.

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