PA Uses Special ATMs to Fund Terrorists, Researcher Claims
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
A new study by researcher Morris Hirsch reveals the Palestinian Authority uses dedicated ATMs and money exchangers to transfer millions of shekels monthly to terrorists and their families, bypassing Israeli sanctions. Hirsch criticizes Israeli enforcement as insufficient and calls for measures like seizing ATMs and freezing assets. He argues the PA's continued payments are a core part of its strategy to reward terrorism, despite financial hardship and Israeli countermeasures.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- PA uses dedicated ATMs and money exchangers to fund terrorists, according to researcher Morris Hirsch.
- Millions of shekels are transferred monthly to terrorists and their families via this separate system.
- Hirsch criticizes Israeli enforcement efforts as largely ineffective against these PA payments.
- He calls for seizing ATMs, freezing assets, and revoking citizenship for Israeli recipients.
- The PA's continued payments are described as a core part of its strategy to reward terrorism.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) is utilizing dedicated ATMs and money exchangers to transfer funds to terrorists and their families, according to new research by Maj. (res.) Adv. Morris Hirsch, a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Hirsch claims the PA has invested millions of shekels in a separate payment system, independent of the regular banking system, to circumvent Israeli enforcement measures. This system reportedly involves ATMs connected solely to the Palestinian Post Bank, allowing monthly deposits to be withdrawn by recipients using special cards.
Hirsch detailed in an interview with Arutz 7 that the PA announces monthly deposits into these ATMs, from which families of terrorists withdraw tens of millions of shekels. He stated that this dedicated system enables the PA to continue payments even under economic sanctions. The transfers reportedly extend to terrorists with Israeli identity cards, using alternative methods like money exchangers.
Hirsch criticized Israeli enforcement, arguing that existing tools are largely unused. He pointed to the Knesset discussion and a directive from the Defense Minister to seize funds transferred to Israeli terrorists, but deemed current actions insufficient. He contrasted the strict enforcement against ordinary citizens for tax evasion with the apparent lack of similar measures against recipients of PA funds, calling it "black money" and tax-exempt.
Hirsch asserted that the PA's continued payments, even amid severe financial difficulties and Israeli efforts like the "offset law" (where Israel deducts PA payments to terrorists from funds owed to the PA), are deeply ingrained in its "DNA" and reflect a commitment to rewarding terrorism. He suggested several enforcement measures, including mapping and seizing the dedicated ATMs and their contents during deposit times, establishing an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate actions against Israeli citizens receiving funds, and implementing asset seizures, bank account freezes, vehicle confiscations, and even citizenship revocation.
Furthermore, Hirsch advocated for an international public relations campaign, supported by seized documents and computers from PA offices, to expose the scope and recipients of these payments. He believes presenting payment slips of terrorists imprisoned in Israel would bolster this effort, aiding both public awareness and fund seizures.
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