Posted on 08/28/2017 5:17:48 PM PDT by SJackson
In Meeting With Kushner, Abbas Defiantly Vows To Continue PA Terror Payments Policy, Palestinian Newspaper Reports
A leading Palestinian newspaper published an account on Monday of a tense encounter between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner in Ramallah last week.
Al-Quds, a Jerusalem-based newspaper that is close to the PA, reported that Kushner had raised the issue of the so-called “martyr payments” made to convicted terrorists and their families — a policy dubbed “pay to slay” that costs the PA more than $300 million annually. The Taylor Force Act, which is likely to be voted on during the upcoming session of the US Congress, would make American aid to the PA contingent on a wholesale abandonment of the “martyr payments.”
Gal Berger, a leading Israeli journalist who covers Palestinian affairs, was quoted in the Al-Quds piece as saying that “Abbas informed Kushner that he would never stop paying these salaries until his dying day, even if this cost him the presidency.”
Added Berger — in a translation of the Al Quds article made available by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) — “Abbas’s statements reflect a measure of the Palestinian anger over the focus of the U.S. delegation on this topic and its disregard of core issues such as the two-state solution and the halting of the settlements.”
During the same meeting, Abbas was reportedly infuriated by Kushner’s refusal “to define the borders on the Palestinian state as the 1967 borders, but said that this would be a matter to be agreed upon by the Israeli and Palestinian sides.” On the two-state solution specifically, Kushner was said to have shown “some openness” on the matter.
According to Berger, Abbas reiterated his desire for the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative — which calls for a Palestinian state with its capital in eastern Jerusalem — to be used as the basis for any future negotiations with the Israeli government. If attempts to restart talks fail, Berger continued, Abbas was likely to lobby the UN Security Council for increased pressure upon Israel, as well as seeking the admission of an independent State of Palestine as a full UN member.
Following his meeting with Kushner, Abbas issued a statement through the PA’s Facebook page underlining his unwavering support for the payments to terrorists. “I will never stop [paying] the allowances to the families of the prisoners and released prisoners, even if this costs me my position and my presidency,” the PA president said. “I will pay them until my dying day.”
mass-murderer Abbas and his entire PLO/”PA” terrorist gang....
may they go straight to their Alluh in Hell...
ASAP!
like, today if possible
If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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No real surprise. No real downside to continuing payments, plenty of political upside.
Jared seems like a poofer.
I wish President Trump would tap someone with gravitas for this mission.
Nice to have him on record. Useful.
Lights out for Abbas.
Sadly, a hopeless situation—at least until new leadership emerges on both sides.
Cannot trust the Palestinians and even Netanyahu is under extreme duress for alleged corruption/bribery at home.
Also, I doubt Jared Kushner evokes much reverence despite his good intentions. He’s too inexperienced diplomatically and his being of the Jewish faith likely doesn’t help his cause in negotiating with the PLO, to say the least.
We never should have given one dollar in aid to the Pali terrorists. Certainly it’s long past time to cut them off.
Ho-hum. President Trump inaction on this front to be sure.
Good idea. Send Trumps rump swab Orthodox Jew to negotiate with Abbas. Yup, that’s gonna blow up good.
the PA president said. “I will pay them until my dying day.”
Tomorrow suits me just fine.
L
I believe that this could be arranged.
Why in the hell are we subsidizing pay to slay?
Sorry Kushner but you have the je ne sais quoi of a wet dish rag. I don’t think you are going to garner any muscle if you don’t change your image. Your father in law can’t do it for you. Take a lesson.
What qualifies Jared to make these trips and meet with various world leaders?
Why is Rex not involved with this?
I don’t know. Sometimes I just don’t get it. Why Jared? Why not the person who is head of the department for this type of meeting?
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