News / Foreign Policy

US House committee passes bill to cut aid to Palestinians

Thursday, 16 November 2017 4:58 AM [ Last Update: Thursday, 16 November 2017 5:12 AM ]

The US House of Representatives in session (file photo)

The US House Foreign Affairs Committee has unanimously passed legislation that would cut funding to the Palestinian Authority.

The committee approved the bill known as the Taylor Force Act on Wednesday. It stipulates a cut in funding to the Palestinian Authority unless it discontinues paying stipends to the families of Palestinians killed by Israeli forces.

Another piece of legislation, known as the Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act would slap sanctions on foreign governments, entities, and individuals for providing financial and material support Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

The measures are set to be put to a vote at the full chamber of the House of Representatives.

“Since 2003, it has been Palestinian law to reward Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails with a monthly paycheck,” Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement.

“Palestinian leadership also pays the families of Palestinian prisoners and suicide bombers. These policies incentivize terrorism,” he claimed.

Ed Royce, the Chairman of the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

An anti- Palestinian group, the Israeli-American Coalition for Action, also hailed the approval of the bill in a statement issued on Wednesday.

“This vital piece of legislation advances prospects for peace by conditioning continued US aid to the Palestinian Authority on the PA ending its repugnant policy of financially rewarding terrorists and their families,” it said.

Palestinian officials have said they intend to continue the payments in order to provide support for relatives of the Palestinians languishing in Israeli prisons for fighting against illegal occupation or who have lost their lives in connection with the cause.

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