The Palestinian Authority has extended a formal invitation to the Trump administration, requesting that it verify the implementation of a newly restructured welfare program that has long faced criticism for allegedly promoting terrorism. This was disclosed to The Times of Israel on Friday by both a U.S. official and a representative of the PA.
The invitation was conveyed in a letter sent on Wednesday by Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior aide to PA President Mahmoud Abbas, addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The correspondence references a decree issued by Abbas in February that annuls previous legislation linking prisoner stipends to the length of their prison sentences in Israel. Instead, payments are now meant to be based solely on the recipient’s financial status, according to the officials.
In the letter, Sheikh emphasized that the Palestinian Authority is fully committed to enforcing the new policy and welcomes an American team to visit Ramallah and begin its certification process starting June 1.
Although that date will mark nearly four months since the decree was signed, both U.S. and Palestinian officials explained that the delay was due to the time required to redesign the system. Families are now required to reapply and must qualify under newly established financial criteria.
“This is a major step demonstrating that this is not just talk, but action because an invitation would not be extended if we weren’t confident that the US will certify,” the PA official told The Times of Israel.
When asked about the letter, a State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics, saying, “We do not comment on diplomatic correspondence.” However, the spokesperson reiterated the administration’s stance: “This abhorrent practice of compensation that provides benefits and payments in support of terrorism needs to end now. We want to see actions, not words.”
The reform is aimed at bringing the Palestinian Authority into compliance with the Taylor Force Act, a U.S. law passed in 2018 that prohibits American economic aid directly benefiting the PA unless specific conditions are met.
To resume aid under the law, the Secretary of State must certify four criteria: first, that the policy of basing payments on prison sentences has been rescinded; second, that these payments have stopped entirely; third, that the PA is actively working to curb terrorism in the West Bank; and fourth, that it is publicly denouncing acts of terror.
While Abbas’s decree satisfies the first requirement, U.S. officials will evaluate compliance with the second requirement during their planned visit on June 1.
Addressing the third condition, the PA pointed to its ongoing security collaboration with Israel and recent operations against militant groups in northern parts of the West Bank.
Regarding the fourth requirement, the Palestinian official referenced public condemnations issued by the PA against Hamas as evidence of its stance against terrorism.
For the Palestinian Authority to be deemed compliant with the Taylor Force Act, Rubio must provide a written certification. This determination must be reaffirmed every 180 days for aid to continue.
The longstanding practice of paying stipends to imprisoned terrorists or the families of attackers has been condemned by critics as a financial reward for terrorism. Israel has cited it as evidence of the PA’s failure to act as a legitimate peace partner.
Palestinian leaders, on the other hand, have defended the payments, characterizing them as necessary welfare support for families impacted by what they describe as Israel’s harsh judicial practices in the West Bank.
Although the State Department initially praised Abbas’s February 10 decree as a “big win for the administration,” its tone has grown more critical in recent weeks.
Despite the signing of the decree, two Palestinian sources confirmed to The Times of Israel that monthly payments to families of incarcerated or deceased militants were made twice since then.
According to a Palestinian official, those disbursements were for months prior to the policy change. Financial constraints—exacerbated by Israel’s withholding of substantial tax revenue—delayed the PA’s ability to pay December’s stipends until February, with January’s payouts distributed earlier this month.
As a result, the official noted, it may take an additional one to two months before the revamped system becomes fully operational.
The Palestinian official suggested that U.S. frustration may have stemmed from an expectation that the reforms would take effect more quickly than they have.
“We still plan to uphold the decree that was signed,” the Palestinian official said.
{Matzav.com}