The Pay for Slay Program
How does the Palestinian Authority incite violence?
The Palestinian Authority Martyr’s Fund pays a monthly stipend, higher than the average Palestinian’s annual salary, to terrorists and the families of deceased terrorists.
It’s not just one governmental agency enforcing this system - it’s the entire Palestinian government. This shameful policy is codified into the PA legal system. Article 7 of the Amended Palestinian Prisoners Law No. 19 states, “The National Authority will grant every incarcerated prisoner a monthly salary, without discrimination, and twice annually a clothing allowance, in accordance with a regulation to be issued in this matter.”
The PA is dishonest about the fact that they are allocating $350 million a year to compensate terrorists, while the Palestinian people suffer.
While the law was updated as recently as 2004, a policy rewarding terrorists for murdering Israeli civilians is not exactly a new concept for Palestinian leadership. The PA has been providing this “pension” to terrorists for more than 50 years. PA leaders claim they have a responsibility to ensure a “dignified life” for the families of “martyrs” and “victims of wars with the Zionist entity.” And yet, two thirds of Palestinians oppose using government funds to reward terrorists for violence.
This “Pay for Slay” policy is not compensation for “participation in the Palestinian revolution.” It’s an incentive for terrorism.
In 2017, the Taylor Force Act was passed by the U.S. Congress to condition American economic aid to the Palestinian Authority on the suspension of the Martyr’s Fund. The law was named in memory of Taylor Force, an American tourist and U.S. Army veteran who was murdered in a terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. The PA has been paying his killer’s family more than $15,000 in salary ever since.
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