The Palestinian Authority (PA) has nearly doubled its payments to convicted terrorists and to families of those killed while carrying out attacks, despite repeated claims to have ended the practice, Israel’s Foreign Ministry revealed Wednesday.
“Last year, Ramallah disbursed $144 million in payments rewarding attacks against Israelis. In 2025, it has already committed $214 million-and the year isn’t even over,” Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar tweeted.
“I call on Europe and the world to hold the P.A. accountable for funding terrorism. Stop Pay-for-Slay NOW!” Sa’ar added.
The revelation comes a week after Sa’ar accused PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas of attempting to “fool the world” by firing his official in charge of finances, Omar Bitar, reportedly over “unauthorized payments” to terrorists and their families.
Some reports stated that Bitar had transferred funds to terrorists in Israeli prisons through a mechanism the PA had claimed to reform under pressure from the United States and Europe. The revised system rebrands the stipends as “welfare support,” shifting the payments from a government ministry to an “independent” foundation controlled by the PA.
Over the years, PA officials have remained defiant about the issue of payments to terrorists and have made clear that the PA will never cease paying terrorists' salaries.
Abbas has in the past called the PA's continued payments to terrorists a "red line" that would not be halted under any circumstances.
The Israeli government has in the past decided to offset the tax money it collects on behalf of the PA because of the monthly financial aid it provides to terrorists and their families.