A wave of grief and outrage swept through Israel following a brutal attack on Friday that claimed the lives of two citizens: 19-year-old Aviv Maor and 68-year-old Mordechai Shimshon. The incident reignited a fierce debate surrounding the Palestinian Authority’s controversial practice of rewarding individuals involved in acts of violence.
Israel’s Foreign Minister condemned the “Slay-to-Pay” program, asserting it directly fuels terrorism by providing financial incentives to perpetrators and their families. This policy, he argued, emboldens future attacks and undermines any prospect of peaceful resolution.
The program gained international notoriety in 2016 with the tragic death of Taylor Force, an American veteran stabbed to death while visiting Israel. His parents’ relentless advocacy led to the Taylor Force Act, aimed at curtailing financial support to the Palestinian Authority as long as it continues these payments.
Despite the Act and repeated calls for change, warnings have emerged that the practice hasn’t ceased. Recent reports suggest the PA is attempting to disguise these payments, reclassifying them as pensions for former security service members – a move critics decry as a deceptive tactic.
Mahmoud Abbas, the long-serving President of the Palestinian Authority, has consistently denied allegations of continuing the program. However, security analysts paint a different picture, claiming any changes are merely cosmetic.
Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, described the PA’s claims as a “façade,” asserting that the underlying policy of rewarding terrorism remains firmly in place. He warned that the shift in tactics will make monitoring and accountability even more difficult for international donors.
Michael emphasized that the PA continues to define terrorists as recipients of social welfare, simultaneously fostering incitement against Israel and maintaining a dysfunctional governance structure. This creates a dangerous cycle of violence and instability.
A PA-linked organization, Tamkeen, recently disputed claims that the “Slay-to-Pay” program is still active, stating that payments tied to years of imprisonment have been abolished. However, this assertion has been met with skepticism from Israeli officials and security experts.
The core issue, according to Michael, is the need for stricter oversight of financial aid to the Palestinian Authority. He argued that Western leaders rushing to recognize a Palestinian state without addressing the issue of terrorism are inadvertently incentivizing the continuation of these harmful practices.
He contrasted this approach with the Trump administration’s policy of applying pressure on the PA, suggesting it was a more effective strategy for promoting responsible behavior. The dismantling of Hamas, the U.S.-designated terrorist group controlling Gaza, was also highlighted as crucial to long-term stability.
The debate over “Pay-to-Slay” underscores the complex and deeply entrenched challenges to achieving a lasting peace in the region, raising critical questions about accountability, transparency, and the true commitment of all parties to ending the cycle of violence.
