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terrorism payments

Demonstrators hold placards bearing portraits of Palestinians detained by Israel during a solidarity protest in Ramallah on April 7, 2026. (Zain JAAFAR / AFP)
June 11, 2026, 4:14 am
External audit finds PA no longer rewarding security prisoners — diplomats
Western officials tell ToI that global consulting firm’s initial review shows Ramallah reformed welfare program to be needs-based instead of based on time served, contradicting US report
By Jacob Magid
Demonstrators hold placards bearing portraits of Palestinians detained by Israel during a solidarity protest in Ramallah on April 7, 2026. (Zain JAAFAR / AFP)
May 15, 2026, 9:02 am
Ignoring ‘pay-for-slay’ reform, Ramallah court tells PA to reinstate money for prisoner
Unclear if decision affects other 1,600 security inmates no longer receiving controversial stipends, but it potentially marks another blow to Palestinian efforts aimed at dealing with criticism of program accused of incentivizing terror
By Nurit Yohanan
US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan on today's Daily Briefing podcast. (ToI)
May 6, 2026, 12:49 pm
Daily Briefing May 6 – Pay-to-slay is here to stay?
US bureau chief Jacob Magid on the state of negotiations between the US and Iran, a scoop regarding the Board of Peace’s efforts to sway Hamas, and implementation of the Taylor Force Act
By Amanda Borschel-Dan and Jacob Magid
US President Donald Trump (left) greets Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during a summit on Gaza in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 13, 2025. (Evan Vucci / POOL / AFP)
April 30, 2026, 5:02 am
US says PA continuing to pay security prisoners despite reformed welfare criteria
Citing information from Israeli government and groups critical of the Palestinian Authority, State Department informs Congress that Ramallah not meeting benchmarks for lifting sanctions
By Jacob Magid
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar speaks at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on October 27, 2025. (Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)
December 25, 2025, 4:38 am
Sa’ar again accuses PA of lying about reforms to ‘pay-for-slay’ policy
Foreign minister alleges that Abbas disguising payments as pensioner stipends, security officer salaries, after PA president says ‘loyalty’ to prisoners is ‘moral obligation’
By Lazar Berman
Palestinians protest against the Palestinian Authority's prisoner payments reform outside the Prime Minister's Office in Ramallah on December 14, 2025. (Screen capture/ YouTube)
December 15, 2025, 10:32 pm
Palestinians protest PA prisoner payment reform, in apparent sign of implementation
Rallies staged in several West Bank cities over shift to stipends based on financial need instead of time served; Israel presents EU with dossier alleging reform not in place
By Jacob Magid and Lazar Berman
US President Donald Trump (left) greets Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during a summit on Gaza in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh on October 13, 2025. (Evan Vucci / POOL / AFP)
December 3, 2025, 11:26 pm
US shelved sanctions on PA leaders after Abbas fired minister over prisoner payments
Ramallah believes quick dismissal of minister convinced Washington that Palestinian Authority is serious about implementation of reform to end ‘pay-for-slay,’ officials tell ToI
By Jacob Magid
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas poses for a picture with his new government, after it was sworn in on March 31, 2024, in Ramallah, in the West Bank. Finance Minister Omar Bitar is standing third from the left in the front row. (Jaafar ASHTIYEH / AFP)
November 10, 2025, 11:44 pm
Abbas fires his finance minister over illicit payments to Palestinian prisoners — sources
Palestinian official tells ToI cabinet shuffle highlights Ramallah’s commitment to implement reform ending ‘pay-to-slay,’ while Sa’ar says PA trying to ‘fool the world’
By Jacob Magid
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar speaks at Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, on October 27, 2025. (Attila KISBENEDEK / AFP)
October 27, 2025, 6:22 pm
Sa’ar insists PA still paying terrorists in ‘pay-for-slay’ policy, despite promises
Foreign minister disputes Ramallah’s claim it abolished stipends to terrorists’ families, but doesn’t provide proof; says Israel won’t accept Turkish troops in Gaza
By Nava Freiberg
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas outside the Government Palace in Beirut, Lebanon, May 22, 2025. (AP/Hassan Ammar)
September 16, 2025, 6:26 pm
PA document shows ‘pay-to-slay’ has been scrapped, new system in place
Ramallah says 3,000 people who received stipends based on prison sentence length are now ineligible, while 2,000 households will be added under new program based on financial need
By Jacob Magid and Nurit Yohanan
Palestinians take part in a protest in support of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, in the West Bank city of Hebron on April 17, 2025. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)
May 12, 2025, 9:26 am
Stipends end for 1,600 prisoners as PA moves forward with pay-to-slay reform — sources
Development comes weeks after Ramallah invited Trump administration to come to West Bank and certify that new welfare system in place
By Nurit Yohanan and Jacob Magid
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas speaks while US President Donald Trump listens before a meeting at the Palace Hotel during the 72nd United Nations General Assembly on September 20, 2017, in New York. (AFP Photo/Brendan Smialowski)
April 11, 2025, 8:40 pm
PA invites US to verify that controversial prisoner payment system no longer in place
After US expressed skepticism, top Abbas aide sends letter to Rubio encouraging Trump delegation to come to Ramallah after June 1 and certify new welfare system up and running
By Jacob Magid
ֿRabbi Leo Dee holds a press conference in Efrat, on April 10, 2023. (Oren Ben Hakoon/ Flash90)
March 26, 2025, 2:47 pm
Court freezes PA tax funds for bereaved father whose family was killed by terrorists
After Leo Dee sues PA over discontinued ‘pay-for-slay’ system, a Jerusalem court sets aside NIS 50 million in damages for the British-Israeli rabbi — should he win his case
By ToI Staff, Nava Freiberg and Jeremy Sharon
Palestinian security forces gather at the site of a protest against clashes between Palestinian security forces and terror groups in the northern West Bank city of Jenin on December 21, 2024. (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP)
March 19, 2025, 4:05 pm
US sharpens tone against PA, but funds for its security forces continue
After welcoming Abbas decree ending pay-to-slay, State Department demands ‘actions’; CIA still sending money to security forces, US assures Ramallah rest of aid will return after review
By Jacob Magid and Nurit Yohanan
PLO Executive Committee member Ahmad Majdalani in his Ramallah office in 2024. (Courtesy)
March 4, 2025, 4:07 pm
Seeking funds abroad, Abbas ally touts prisoner payment reform that’s ‘unpopular’ at home
Tapped to head welfare fund replacing ‘pay-to-slay,’ Ahmad Majdalani says it’ll be strictly need-based, and should suffice for US and Israel to scrap ‘unjust’ sanctions on Ramallah
By Jacob Magid
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