Trying to fool Trump? – PA president announces continuation of pay-for-slay, then deletes video of speech

When the Palestinian Authority (PA) claimed earlier this month to have ended its infamous "pay-for-slay" policy that awards terrorists and their families with stipends according to the number of Israelis they had killed, many in the West reacted with optimism, hoping that the PA was turning over a new leaf. 

The PA asked the Trump administration to cancel the Taylor Force Act, which called for freezing U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority until it ceases payments through its Martyrs Fund. 

President Donald Trump ordered to the government to resume enforcement of the Taylor Force Act after returning to the White House on Jan. 20.

At that time, former Member of Congress Doug Lamborn told ALL ISRAEL NEWS that the announcement by the PA was “extremely positive news.” 

However, even then, some observers noticed that the PA had not pledged to stop payments to terrorists and their families, but was merely channeling the funds through a third party. 

The Foreign Ministry called the move "a new fraudulent trick by the Palestinian Authority, which intends to continue making payments to terrorists and their families through other payment channels.” 

Shortly after the announcement, senior political correspondent at the Jewish Insider, Lahav Harkov, wrote that “The PA is just restructuring the mechanism through which they pay terrorists so that they can claim it's not them, it's an 'independent' foundation doing it. An 'independent' foundation funded by the PA and whose board is appointed by PA President Mahmoud Abbas.” 

Now, from the mouth of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, comes confirmation that the PA has no intention of stopping the payments to terrorists and their families. 

Speaking a Fatah Revolutionary Council meeting on Thursday, Abbas said, “I have told you before and mark my words, even if we only have one cent left, it will be for the prisoners and martyrs.” 

“I will never allow and you will never allow the reduction of any obligation, interest or cent that is given to them,” Abbas continued. “They must receive everything as in the past.” 

The PA president even said the terrorists responsible for attacking Jews “are more precious than all of us combined.” 

While the PA initially posted video of Abbas’ address to the council online, apparently realizing that his comments could undermine the attempt to convince the U.S. of its sincerity, it later removed the video.

However, Khaled Abu Toameh of the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs shared a clip from Abbas’ speech talking about the pay-for-slay program, as well as a copy of the full address. 

President Mahmoud Abbas tells Fatah Revolutionary Council (on Thursday): "If we had one penny left, it will go the martyrs and prisoners. They will receive their full payments, as in the past. We are proud of their sacrifices." pic.twitter.com/12jfUseUTW

— Khaled Abu Toameh (@KhaledAbuToameh) February 21, 2025

According to the Palestinian Authority’s own news service, Wafa, the Revolutionary Council also vowed to “double its efforts” to support the terror prisoners being released under the current hostage-ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. 

This would not be the first time the PA has attempted to fool the U.S. and the West regarding the payments to terrorists. In 2014, after threats to cancel its funding, the PA declared that it was closing the Ministry of Prisoners’ Affairs and no longer paying stipends to terror prisoners. 

Despite the announcement, the payments continued. 

Abbas appears to be playing the same game this time, as well. Speaking to the Revolutionary Council, Abbas said, “We reiterate we are proud of the sacrifices of the martyrs, prisoners and wounded.” 

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday announced new sanctions on released security prisoners, residents, and citizens of the State of Israel, who receive payment from the Palestinian Authority as part of the payments through the Martyrs’ Fund. 

Alongside the decision to impose the sanctions, units from the Israel Police and the Counter-Terrorism Economic Headquarters raided the homes of those being sanctioned, seizing property and cash amounting to hundreds of thousands of shekels. 

“We will not allow the Palestinian Authority to continue to reward terrorists for murder and harm to Israeli citizens. The blood money that the Palestinian Authority pays to terrorists is fuel for terrorism. The State of Israel is engaged in an all-out war against terror – on the battlefield, in the economic sphere and in every arena where it is required. Anyone who chooses to act against the State of Israel will pay a heavy price for it,” Katz said. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cited the PA's payments to terrorists as part of the reason Israel will not accept a role for the Palestinian Authority in the governing of Gaza following the war.