by Ephraim D. Tepler
The PA never stopped Pay-for-Slay. They just changed the method. The terrorists are collecting their payments from the Palestinian Post office. And the PA is now making additional payments to evil terrorists released as part of the deal. Instead of holding the PA accountable, the European Union whitewashes it.
Yesterday, Palestinian Media Watch exposed
that despite telling donor countries that the program had ceased, the
Palestinian Authority continues to pay salaries to terrorist prisoners
and Martyrs under the so-called Pay-for-Slay program. The story has been
extensively covered by world media, including The Jerusalem Post,
in a story that appears below. The information revealed by PMW was used
by Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar in his strong statement at a press
conference in Budapest today, in which he criticized the EU: "Instead of
holding the PA accountable, the European Union whitewashes it. They
ignore the distorted, ongoing crime of Pay for Slay."
The following is a longer segment of Saar's statement:
"Ladies and Gentlemen. Contrary to the PA's promises in English, they are continuing their Pay-for-Slay Policy. Paying salaries to terrorists and their families for murdering Jews and Israelis has been Palestinian law since 2004 and until this very day. The PA rewards Palestinian terrorists, including Hamas, with Jewish blood on their hands: Those sitting in jail and those released for example in the last deal. The PA never stopped Pay-for-Slay. They just changed the method. The terrorists are collecting their payments from the Palestinian Post office. And the PA is now making additional payments to evil terrorists released as part of the deal. Instead of holding the PA accountable, the European Union whitewashes it. They ignore the distorted, ongoing crime of Pay for Slay. The practical meaning of encouraging terrorism. They seek to reward the PA with a terror state of their own. Hungary has been a unique and clear moral voice in Europe - calling for accountability, which is a Western value, for the PA and an end to its support for terror. But the money of EU taxpayers is still going to the PA unconditionally. It's funding the terrorists. European leaders are ignoring Pay-for-Slay and giving the PA legitimacy, without accountability. This pushes peace further away. It allows the PA to continue its incitement against Israel and Jews in its school textbooks, kindergartens, mosques and Palestinian media. This poisons the mind of the next generation by filling it with hate. President Trump's 20-point plan made it clear: the PA will not be whitewashed without real reforms. It referred to the 2020 'Deal of the Century' which said, and I quote: 'The PA shall take all necessary actions to immediately terminate the paying of salaries to terrorists serving sentences in Israeli prisons, as well as to the families of deceased terrorists.' Until this day, the PA has failed to meet the required criteria, as determined by President Trump. I call on responsible and moral European leaders to follow the example set by Hungary in Europe. Hold the PA accountable! Stop Pay-for-Slay now!"
Palestinian 'Pay for slay' isn't over, watchdog says, citing Saturday payouts
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had signed a decree in February canceling the program, an announcement which was met with widespread European approval.
OCTOBER 26, 2025
BY JERUSALEM POST STAFF
The Palestinian Authority paid stipends to security prisoners and to families of "martyrs" at PA post offices on Saturday morning, despite publicly claiming to have ended the practice, according to a new report by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) director Itamar Marcus on Sunday.
"Yesterday, Saturday, Oct. 25, at 10:00 a.m., the PA Post Offices paid terrorists' salaries and stipends to families of terrorist ‘Martyrs,'" Marcus wrote, adding that there was "no official announcement" and that payments were delayed so "everyone, even the terrorists' families, would think that the program had ended."
PMW published screenshots of social media conversations among recipients discussing the amounts deposited, including one exchange stating, "50% of the salaries and [those making less than 2,000 received] the full amount. FYI, the salary is for June." PMW said the percentage matched the partial salaries the PA paid civil servants earlier this month due to its fiscal crisis.
The watchdog outlined a two-week timeline in which families of prisoners and those killed in attacks pressed the PA for updates, held small demonstrations in Ramallah on October 20, and were told informally by post-office staff that payments would be made on Saturday without an official statement. On the morning of October 25, local Telegram channels began reporting that "the salaries of the prisoners, the wounded, and the Martyrs have arrived at the post office," and PMW said that payments proceeded "as usual" through the day.
PMW argued that the PA could not announce the transfers because it had assured donors it had ended so-called "pay for slay." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas signed a decree in February revoking the system of payments to families of prisoners and those killed or wounded in attacks, according to multiple reports at the time.
Europe 'welcomes the reforms'
European officials later welcomed what they described as reforms. In a September 25 communiqué, the French Foreign Ministry said, "We welcome the reforms already underway by the Palestinian Authority, including: the abrogation of the prisoners' payment system, that is now effective."
At the same time, the European Commission pledged significant budgetary support to the PA this year. On June 23, Brussels announced €202 million in assistance for UNRWA and the PA, including "€150 million… to support the Palestinian Authority in ensuring the delivery of key public services, including the payment of salaries of teachers, civil servants, and healthcare workers," tied to a reform agenda.
PMW contends that such funding is fungible and effectively frees up other PA resources to maintain stipends to prisoners and "martyrs," a claim PMW has repeated in a series of reports documenting payments through PA post offices in recent months.
In its analysis on Sunday, PMW said recipients reported receiving 50% of the monthly stipend and that the remaining half "is not canceled but is owed," mirroring how the PA has been accruing arrears to public employees during the broader fiscal crunch. The watchdog estimates the PA historically spent more than $30 million per month on these payments before the Gaza war, and says the number of eligible recipients has since grown. The Jerusalem Post could not independently verify the transfers.
The PA has long argued that payments are part of a social welfare framework for prisoners and bereaved families, while Israel and many Western lawmakers say the policy incentivizes terrorism. The issue remains the focus of litigation and diplomatic pressure: last week, families of slain and injured Americans filed a lawsuit in the United States accusing the Palestine Liberation Organization of operating a "pay for slay" scheme that rewards terrorism.
The PA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on PMW's latest claims.
Ephraim D. Tepler
Source: https://palwatch.org/page/41635
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