An Israeli soldier walks near pictures that are part of an installation at the site of the Nova festival, where people were killed and kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, in Reim, southern Israel, Jan. 14, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

The Palestinian Authority (PA) is so anxious to reward the 6,540 new Palestinian terrorists with monthly salaries, known as pay-for-slay payments, that it has decided to bypass standard PA procedures.

According to the PA’s “Regulation of Payment” system, the Red Cross must visit imprisoned Palestinian terrorists to confirm their eligibility for salary rewards. The following is the official PA regulation established in 2010:

[PA] Government Decision Number 23 of 2010, Regarding the Regulation of Payment of the Monthly Salary to the Prisoner: …

Clause 3 — Documentation

For the purpose of the payment of a prisoner’s the monthly salary, his relatives are required to present the necessary documentation…:

1. An original document of the Red Cross attesting to his arrest, and an updated document must be brought every three months for a prisoner who is still in detention…

Clause 5 — Power of Attorney…

3. The authorization of a representative is executed through a power of attorney [form] issued by the Red Cross signed by the prisoner…”

[Source: Issue No. 90 of the PA Records]

In response to the Oct. 7 Palestinian massacre of Israelis — and the abduction of Israeli hostages who have not been visited by the Red Cross — Israel has not allowed the Red Cross to visit Palestinian terrorists in prison. Accordingly, none of the thousands of recently arrested terrorists, both from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, are eligible to start receiving salaries under PA law, due to the absence of Red Cross documents.

However, the PA is so anxious to reward its terrorist prisoners that it decided to bypass its own regulations for at least four months, and start paying the terror reward salaries immediately:

Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Qadura Fares:

There are thousands of new prisoners [i.e., terrorists arrested since the start of the 2023 Gaza war] … Since Israel is preventing the Red Cross from visiting, we have implemented an emergency measure to put the matter in order, and a decision was made that there is no need for the document from the Red Cross in order to open a file [for a prisoner’s salary] starting from Jan. 1, 2024 until April 30 [2024].”

[Official PA TV, Jan. 31, 2024]

Earlier this week, the PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs announced that 6,540 Palestinians have been arrested since Oct. 7, including 28 since this morning [PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs, Telegram channel, Feb. 5, 2024]. These figures refer to terrorists from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah’s military wing the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, and unaffiliated terrorists. It includes those arrested in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and does not mention how many were released after interrogation.

If even 500 were already released, the 6,000 new prisoners will be receiving a minimum of 1,400 shekels per month (over $380), plus additions for those who are married, have children, or are residents of Israel, thus totaling more than 8,400,000 shekels (more than $2,283,000) per month.

Palestinian Media Watch has already reported that the PA has officially recognized the Hamas terrorists from the Gaza War as prisoners.

The author is the founder and executive director of Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article first appeared.