Israeli Study Claims Palestinian Authority Continues Monthly Payments to Prisoners

A recent Israeli study reveals that the Palestinian Authority (PA) continues to disburse monthly financial stipends to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, exceeding 20 million shekels (approximately $5.4 million USD) per month. This occurs despite Israeli legislation aimed at halting these payments and commitments made by President Mahmoud Abbas to the United States to end the practice. The study, prepared by former military prosecutor in the West Bank, Lt. Col. (res.) Morris Hirsch, and reported by Yedioth Ahronoth, indicates that the PA has reorganized its payment mechanism to bypass traditional banking channels following Israeli measures targeting accounts linked to prisoners and their families.

The study, conducted by the Jerusalem Center for Foreign Affairs and Security, proposes several actions for Israel to take, including prosecuting Palestinian officials, confiscating assets of prisoners, targeting ATMs allegedly used for distribution, and expanding U.S. sanctions on entities and individuals involved. The research suggests that Israeli measures implemented since 2019 have been largely ineffective, with confiscated funds amounting to only 15% of approximately 50 million shekels targeted for seizure by Israeli defense ministers. The payments persist due to a gap between Israeli legislation and its actual enforcement, especially as funds are now channeled through alternative means after actions against the Palestinian banking system.

Payment amounts vary based on sentence length, starting at around 1,400 shekels monthly for the first three years, increasing to approximately 4,000 shekels after five years, and reaching up to 12,000 shekels for prisoners serving over 30 years. The study notes that Israeli anti-terrorism law enforcement in the West Bank since 2020, along with warnings to banks, led to the closure of about 35,000 bank accounts belonging to prisoners and their families. However, Hirsch claims this did not stop payments but rather pushed the PA to adopt alternative methods, initially using cash via post offices and later moving to dedicated ATMs not linked to the official banking system.

Hirsch recommends that Israeli security forces locate these ATMs, confiscate funds upon deposit, and expand confiscations to include bank accounts, vehicles, and real estate of recipients. The study also calls for criminal proceedings against Palestinian officials overseeing the payment mechanism, naming President Mahmoud Abbas, Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, and Finance Minister Estefan Salameh. It further suggests imposing financial penalties on Israeli convicts equivalent to the stipends they might receive from the PA in the future, and expanding the application of a 2023 Israeli law allowing for the revocation of citizenship or residency for stipend recipients.

Additionally, the study urges the U.S. to enhance sanctions against officials and individuals linked to these payments, potentially extending them to the recipients themselves, citing the PA's continued payments despite prior commitments to the U.S. The study concludes that Israel possesses legal and economic tools to pressure the PA but has not sufficiently utilized them, while the PA has proven adept at reorganizing payment mechanisms to circumvent Israeli measures. These recommendations emerge amid growing Israeli debate to shift the issue from a financial and legislative matter to criminal prosecution and economic sanctions against Palestinian officials, institutions, and individuals.