"Rewards" for Prisoners?

Families of Palestinian Prisoners

An acquaintance recently asked me (as someone she knows is involved in the Israel/Palestine “situation”) for an explanation of a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) editorial (https://www.wsj.com/articles/pay-for-slay-in-palestine-1490653597 which encouraged the passage of the Taylor Force Act, which will, according to the WSJ, “cut more than $200 million in annual economic aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) unless it stops paying terrorists.

It was a tough question to answer.  I had never heard of the Taylor Force Act, and still know nothing about it other than the WSJ citation.  I also was unaware of any “rewards” being paid to Palestinian “terrorists,” although common sense told me that this statement was undoubtedly a distortion of the type frequently found in the US press – even the “non-fake” US press!

Then the Palestinian Prisoner Strike started, and the issue came into sharper focus.  Below is my response to my acquaintance, who is actually a very nice person who just happens to be uninformed on anything related to Palestine/Israel;

“This is probably a longer response to the question you asked about "payment" to families of Palestinian "terrorists," than you were seeking - but this article about the prisoner strike (http://mondoweiss.net/2017/05/palestinian-prisoners-describe/?mc_cid=5853e276e2&mc_eid=2c50299218) may give you some insights - as, I hope, will my thoughts on what I believe is the basis of the editorial you shared with me.

Israeli soldiers detain young children without charges

The Israeli Government (which is even more right-wing than the US!) has a long history of “detaining” Palestinians – that is, “arresting” them without charging them of a crime and then leaving them to languish in prison for months or even years.  They also “detain” children – some as young as 7! – without charging them.  Their “excuse” for these actions, which of course are contrary to International Law, is that all Palestinians are “terrorists.”

Of course, some Palestinians do rebel against the illegal Occupation (which has lasted for 50 years now!) and attack Israelis.  Likewise the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces – i.e. Army) attacks Palestinian civilians for no good reason.  It’s a long and complicated story – and, of course, I am deeply immersed in it from having spent three months observing it first hand and writing reports to the United Nations – so I tend to jump on my soapbox when questions are raised about stories reported in the so-called “mainstream” press.

First of all, you have to understand that the US is NOT neutral when it comes to the Israel/Palestine “situation.”  Virtually every member of Congress is beholden to the “Israel Lobby” to some extent (and I’m happy to share the numbers of how much $$ each Congressman or woman has received!).  I could also cite numerous instances of US vetoes to UN resolutions that would chastise Israel for its human rights violation.  Or mention that Israel currently is the LARGEST recipient of foreign aid that the US gives to ANY country (currently $3.2 BILLION a year – and scheduled to rise!) – and it’s a first-world country the size of New Jersey!

All Palestinians are imprisoned by the Wall

But I digress.  You asked about “rewards” to the families of Palestinian “terrorists,” I believe the payments cited in the WSJ editorial are simply a form of “welfare” for the families of men who have been incarcerated (often without being charge or tried as mentioned above and in the attached article).  It is no more a “reward” for their actions than it would be to call the welfare payments given to families of US prisoners a “reward” for whatever they did that landed them in prison.  I don’t believe that the families of prisoners – no matter what country they are imprisoned in – should be “punished” for the acts of a family member.  Do you?

Sadly, the term “terrorist” is too often used to describe Palestinians – and not used often enough to describe the Israelis who, indeed, imprison ALL Palestinians by keeping them enclosed by a Wall!!  But that is a subject for another day. 

I would strongly encourage you to educate yourself about this issue.  I am happy to point you to books or films that will give you more insights.  You may want to click on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y58njT2oXfE to see a short animated film (6 minutes!) that gives a good overview!  In the meantime, please remember that this is a subject that even the “mainstream” press has a difficult time getting right!"