PA Dismissal of Minister Does Not End Payments to Terrorists

The Israeli foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, sharply rejected the idea that the dismissal of the Palestinian Authority (PA) finance minister marks an end to the so‑called “pay‑for‑slay” payments to terrorists and their families. On the contrary, he accused the PA of attempting to obscure ongoing payments while persisting in the underlying policy.

In early November 2025, Sa’ar pointed out that although President Mahmoud Abbas replaced finance minister Omar Bitar with Estephan Salameh, no explanation was offered for the change. He said that despite the dismissal, the PA retains full responsibility for its payments to prisoners and their families.

Behind the scenes, Palestinian officials confirmed that Bitar had approved payments to certain prisoners outside the PA’s recently adopted need‑based welfare criteria. He allegedly authorised stipends still tied to sentence length the hallmark of the previous system that rewarded longer sentences with higher pay.

Background: For years, the PA has run a stipend program through its Martyrs’ Fund and Prisoners’ Fund, providing monthly sums to prisoners, and to families of those killed, injured or jailed by Israel. Critics say this incentivises attacks on Israelis. In February 2025, Abbas issued a decree saying the PA would shift from payments based on sentence length to a need‑based welfare assessment.

But Israel and its allies remain sceptical. Sa’ar claims the PA simply changed the channel from sentence‑based payments to needs‑based stipends yet continues to funnel money to terrorists and their families. He accused European governments of turning a blind eye.

What this means for Israel:

• The continuation of “pay‑for‑slay” payments undermines efforts to weaken the link between terrorism and monetary reward.

• Failure to monitor and enforce the reform raises concerns about international aid flowing to funds that still support armed activity.

• Israel insists that any peace process must address not only cessation of attacks but also financial mechanisms that reward them.

What to watch:

• Will the PA publish transparent data on its payments and disbursement criteria?

• Will donor nations tie future aid to verifiable cessation of these payments?

• Will Israel use the withholding of tax revenue transfers to enforce compliance?

In conclusion, while the PA publicly claims to have reformed its payment system, Israel contends that the pattern remains. For Israelis and supporters of Israel around the world, it is an issue of principle funding of terrorism cannot be masked as social welfare. The State of Israel stands firm in upholding justice, protecting its citizens, and championing a future where terror is neither rewarded nor tolerated.

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