The Trump Administration has imposed a freeze on funding for the Palestinian Authority (PA) Security Forces, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The move came as part of a global freeze on foreign aid and did not specifically target the Palestinian Authority, according to US and PA sources quoted by the news outlet.
During his previous term in office, President Donald Trump halted funding to the Palestinian Authority over the Ramallah government’s unwillingness to end its “pay for slay” policy — the payment of generous lifetime monthly salaries to terrorists and their families as a reward for attacks on Israelis.
The Regavim movement quickly applauded the freeze on funding for the Palestinian Authority Security Forces implemented by the current Trump White House.
“For years, it has been widely acknowledged that the Palestinian Authority educates, glorifies, and finances terrorism – but our recent research uncovered dozens of instances in which the PASF officers were actively engaged in murderous acts terrorism,” Regavim Director-General Meir Deutsch said in a statement.
“We applaud US President Donald Trump for his leadership in recognizing the true nature of the Palestinian Authority, which shares the same ambitions and objectives as Hamas.”
In the United States, Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein also praised the move, noting that the “corrupt” Palestinian Authority supports terrorism and has “repeatedly worked against US interests while fostering hatred and inspiring generations of terrorists to target Israel.”
Klein called it “astounding” that previous US administrations funded the Palestinian Authority’s military efforts in its ongoing war with Israel and the Jewish people” until Trump returned to office.
“President Trump is demonstrating true leadership by challenging the failed status quo and paving the way for a new future for both Israel and its Arab neighbors,” Klein said.
“His proposals on Gaza are already making waves across the Middle East, with the potential to reshape the Arab-Islamic war against Israel, the Jewish people and the West. His latest decision regarding the extremist Palestinian Authority will have its own ripple effect, shifting the balance in a conflict driven by radical terrorist Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas and his allies.”
The funding freeze has already led to some cuts in training for the PA security forces, according to a colonel who directs training at the PA Central Training Institute, quoted by The Washington Post.
“The US was considered a big donor to the PA projects,” Brig. Gen. Anwar Rajab, spokesperson for the Palestinian security forces, told the news outlet. He noted that the aforementioned projects included security and empowerment training for the forces.
It is unclear whether any other PASF activities were impacted by the freeze.
