Committee okays plan to deduct stipends to terrorists from PA money

A key ministerial panel votes to give coalition support to a bill to deduct from Israeli funds to the Palestinian Authority the amount of money provided by the PA to convicted terrorists and their families.

The decision by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation lends government support to the proposal by Yesh Atid MK Elazar Stern, which was also endorsed by coalition chair David Bitan and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chair Avi Dichter, both of Likud..

The bill would see Israel cut around NIS 1 billion ($285 million) from the tax revenues it collects for the Palestinians and hands over to them — equivalent to the amount that Ramallah pays to terrorists and their families.

The proposal was expected to be brought to a preliminary vote in the Knesset plenum on Wednesday.

The ministers’ decision was hailed by the opposition Yesh Atid party.

— Marissa Newman