by Shimon Cohen
Attorney Maurice Hirsch tells Arutz Sheva that visits by the Red Cross enable the Palestinian Authority to transfer money to terrorists.
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| Nukhba force terrorists Haim Goldberg / Flash 90 |
The Supreme Court of Israel ruled yesterday (Wednesday) that representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross must be allowed to visit Nukhba terrorists imprisoned in Israel. However, according to attorney Maurice Hirsch, the practical meaning of the decision is that it opens the way for the Palestinian Authority to transfer salaries to terrorists.
“An integral part of the PA’s mechanism for paying salaries to terrorists is that the terrorist appoints someone who will receive the money on his behalf while he is in prison," Hirsch explained.
According to him, in order for the PA to transfer the funds to the terrorist’s family members, the prisoner must sign a power of attorney.
“And this is what the Red Cross does when it meets the prisoners and has them sign the PA’s forms. This is how the continued payment of salaries to terrorists is effectively made possible."
According to Hirsch, the Red Cross is well aware of its role in the process.
“I brought this to their attention several years ago, but they said it did not concern them. They continue doing it because the State of Israel has not objected," he claimed.
Hirsch noted that most of the prisoners jailed since October 7 have not yet received the funds allocated to them by the PA because the bureaucratic process has not yet been completed.
“This is a mechanism that is well organized in PA legislation and regulations. There is a list of documents and actions that the family must complete, and because this is the terrorist’s own salary, he is the one who must determine to whom it should be transferred. As long as he does not do so, the funds accumulate within the PA and are not transferred," he said.
Attorney Hirsch also sharply criticized Israeli officials, who he says have failed to act on the issue over the years, even while he was active in the Palestinian Media Watch organization.
“There is no attention from the authorities in Israel. I have correspondence with the Red Cross in which they acknowledge that all the services they provide to prisoners are voluntary, and there is no obligation for Israel to approve them. I brought these matters to the attention of the relevant officials seven years ago, but nothing was done," he said.
According to Hirsch, alongside his criticism of the High Court ruling, responsibility also lies with government ministries.
“I have harsh criticism of the court’s decision, but the basic responsibility belongs to the Foreign Ministry, the National Security Ministry, and the Prime Minister’s Office. They could have made it clear that they oppose the Red Cross carrying out these actions, but no one is taking up the issue. There is inaction here on the part of government officials," he said.
Shimon Cohen
Source: https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/428134
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