Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Admits 'Pay-for-Slay' Not Really Being Reformed
The Palestinian Authority continues to fund the 'pay-for-slay' program despite international backlash.
"If we had one penny left, it will go to the martyrs and prisoners. They will receive their full payments, as in the past. We are proud of their sacrifices," declared Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the Fatah Revolutionary Council on February 21, 2025.
This statement came just two weeks after the Palestinian Authority (PA) announced a supposed reform to its "pay-for-slay" program, which provides stipends to Palestinians imprisoned for terrorism and to the families of those who committed attacks against Israelis. Abbas's new declaration directly contradicts claims of reform, indicating that despite public statements, the PA has no intention of abolishing the program.
Under the changes announced, the administration of the payments will be transferred from the PA’s Social Development Ministry to the newly formed Palestinian National Institution for Economic Empowerment (PNIEE), an ostensibly independent foundation. Israeli journalist Lahav Harkov argued 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.”
In response to the announced decree, Israeli officials denounced the move as a fraudulent exercise intended to bypass international scrutiny. They argue that this is not a real change and that the PA is simply using a new channel to continue funding terrorists while attempting to dodge international backlash. This skepticism was echoed by U.S. lawmakers, including the architect of the 2018 Taylor Force Act, which restricts U.S. aid to the PA as long as it continues its policy of rewarding individuals convicted of terrorism.
Abbas's words prove the skepticism as right. the so-called reform is disingenuous, and the PA's stance on incentivizing terrorism remains unchanged.
Video source - Palestian Media Watch X Post
Billions in Aid at Stake
The financial stakes surrounding the pay-for-slay program are significant. Reports indicate that the PA spends nearly 8% of its annual budget on stipends to prisoners and the families of so-called martyrs. According to The Times of Israel, these payments amount to nearly half of the PA’s foreign aid income.
Many terrorists recently released by Israel in the ceasefire deal are millionaires, enriched by years of 'pay-for-slay' stipends, according to Palestinian Media Watch. The group reported that the released prisoners collectively received $141.8 million, with 316 individuals each amassing over $280,000—over 1,000,000 NIS.
The PA's financial crisis further complicates the situation. According to Itamar Marcus, founder of Palestinian Media Watch, the PA is on the verge of total financial collapse. “They've said they've loaned billions from their own banks, and they can't loan anymore. They've reached a maximum,” Marcus said. “The only way they can survive is if Israel stops deducting tax transfers and if the United States and other countries start funding them again.”
This financial desperation places the PA in a precarious position. Despite its urgent need for funds to address essential, non-terrorist, needs such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure, the PA continues to pour significant resources into the 'pay-for-slay' program. This misallocation of funds frustrates international donors, who are skeptical of the PA’s reform claims and question its fiscal priorities. As the PA struggles with financial collapse, donors now face a critical dilemma—whether to provide vital aid to support genuine societal needs or withhold funding to pressure the PA into ending its controversial payment system.
Despite the PA's claims of reform, President Mahmoud Abbas’s public commitment to continue funding prisoners and their families reveals the true intent to preserve the program. Abbas’s comments are a clear signal that the PA has no intention of fully dismantling the program.
Until the PA takes meaningful steps toward transparency and the cessation of these controversial payments, international skepticism is likely to persist, further isolating the PA from potential financial lifelines and diplomatic support.