The tiny country of Holland is poised to take a brave step, one that the U.S. government and the rest of the EU has refused to take thus far.
Holland’s Tweede Kamer, referred to as the House of Representatives, but a better translation is “second chamber,” approved a motion to stop the transfer of money it donates to the Palestinian Authority to terrorists in Israeli prisons. All 148 members voting of the 150 members of the chamber voted in favor of the motion.
“The parliament asserts that since 2011, the Palestinian Authority transfers money to Palestinian convicts in Israeli prisons [and] that these moneys can have a negative effect, in which criminality and terrorism are rewarded,” read the motion which was submitted by the Christian Union and SGP: Reformed Political Party parties.
The lawmakers intend to review budgets submitted by the PA to determine where the funds are going, in advance of approving the transfer of funds.
The Dutch House of Representatives also asked its government to convey its views to the full European Union about the use of European aid money to reward terrorists. The Dutch Senate still has to vote on the measure.
In February of this year the PA announced it would be providing an addition $46 million a year to prisoners who had been released by Israel, including hundreds of murderers of Israeli civilians. As Palestinian Media Watch pointed out, the PA cannot even cover its regular monthly budget without Western aid, meaning the West is also indirectly funding those terrorists.
The PA ministry in charge of “pensions” for released convicts has an estimated annual budget of 160 shekels.
According to Dutch media, the contribution to the PA from Holland is approximately 88 million dollars each year, exclusive of its donation to UNRWA.