Trump administration backs bill to halt aid

The Trump administration declared its firm support Thursday for a bill that would suspend US financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority until it ends what critics have described as a long-standing practice of rewarding Palestinians who kill Americans and Israelis.

The State Department announcement comes nearly six weeks after the Senate Foreign Relations Committee backed the measure.

The legislation, which is named after an American who was stabbed to death in Israel by a Palestinian, reflects bipartisan outrage over what lawmakers have termed a "pay to slay" programme endorsed by the Palestinian Authority.

"The Trump administration strongly supports the Taylor Force Act, which is a consequence of Palestinian Authority and Palestine Liberation Organisation's policy of paying terrorists and their families," the State Department said.

The department added that President Donald Trump "raised the need to end any part of this program that incentivises violence against Israeli and American citizens with President Mahmoud Abbas last May in both Washington and Bethlehem."

But the Palestinian Authority has disputed the accusations and called the bill misinformed.

Husam Zomlot, chief representative of the Palestinian General Delegation to the US, said the programme is over 50 years old and is aimed at giving support to families "who lost their breadwinners to the atrocities of the occupation, the vast majority of whom are unduly arrested or killed by Israel."

Source: Khaleej Times