The “Choosing Life” forum of bereaved families and victims of terrorism demonstrated on Monday evening outside the home of Defense Minister Benny Gantz, in protest of his meeting last week with Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who continues to pay salaries to families of terrorists who murdered Israelis.
"Gantz, thanks to you, Abbas can pay blood salaries to the murderers of our loved ones," read the signs waved by the bereaved families, which also had pictures of those who were murdered, including pictures of the murdered whose families are members of the forum.
Following the meeting between Gantz and Abbas last week, there were reports that the two had reached an agreement that Israel would circumvent the law freezing money that is paid by the PA to terrorists from the funds transferred to it from the Israeli government, which obliges the government to deduct the money the PA pays to the families of the terrorists from the tax funds it collects on behalf of the PA. This would be done by the Bennett-Lapid government making a loan to the PA available in an amount similar to that required by law.
"We came to remind Gantz where the money he gave to Abbas goes," said bereaved mother Meirav Hajaj, whose daughter Shir who was murdered in a ramming attack in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood in Jerusalem.
"Gantz is now financing the killers of Shir, Dalia and others. Someone here has forgotten the security of whom he needs to look after. He knows where the money is going, and the worst thing is that it motivates the next killers," she added.
Earlier on Monday, Gantz dismissed criticism from the right of his meeting with Abbas.
"As Defense Minister, my job is to make sure that the IDF is ready for war or battle. As a statesman, my job is to act to prevent war. The need to maintain the security of Israeli citizens and the fight against Hamas are the main reason why I met last week with the Palestinian Authority chairman, and that is why I will continue to meet with him and other elements in the region whose dialogue helps our stability, security and interests. The person who is responsible for sending soldiers into battle is the same person who is responsible for doing everything to prevent that," Gantz said.
On the criticism he received from within the government, he said, "I was disappointed with government ministers who preferred to speak from a political position at the expense of our security needs. In private rooms, they also sound different. For me, wherever the political interest conflicts with security - security must always prevail."