For most of its history, the Palestinian Authority (PA) has offered financial incentives to those who carry out terrorist attacks against Israel, a policy enshrined in Palestinian law in 2004. Western governments, while objecting to this practice, have been reluctant to penalize it by withholding funds from the PA—which is entirely dependent on their financial support—as the collapse of the government in Ramallah could lead to more violence in the West Bank. Moshe Yaalon and Amos Yadlin assess the situation:
Offering monetary compensation for acts of terrorism is just another aspect of the PA ’s multifaceted campaign to mobilize Palestinian society against Israel. . . . [Furthermore], carrying out this policy means that the cash-strapped PA allocates its money to those sitting in prison cells for killing Israelis at the expense of services that actually benefit the population (e.g., hiring more teachers, sanitation workers, etc.). . . .
[Furthermore, the] PA claims it abandoned violent resistance, and it was recognized by Israel on that basis. What legitimacy does President Mahmoud Abbas have as a partner for peace so long as his government rewards violence? In fact, not only does the PA reward Palestinians for acts of terrorism, but it pays those with Israeli citizenship a premium for undertaking such action—[which is] tantamount to sponsoring an insurrection inside of Israel as well. This [policy] completely undermines the PA’s recognition of Israel in 1993. . . .
Israel should not refrain from acting against these policies simply because doing so entails risks. Firstly, a failure to respond to PA support for terrorists due to fear of institutional collapse sends the message that Israel seeks to keep the PA alive at any cost. . . . Second, in the past the PA ’s threats to fold [in response to one Israeli policy or another] proved empty, and there is no credible indication that the organization will voluntarily give up its hold on power (especially considering Abbas’s recent efforts to consolidate power). Third, if the PA were to collapse in response to Israeli pressure, which is far from certain, the consequences would be significant though manageable.
Like any other government in the world, protecting its citizens is the state of Israel’s primary obligation; therefore, it has a moral imperative to do everything in its power to bring an end to the PA policy of financially incentivizing the murder of Israelis.
Read more on Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Palestinian-Authority-must-stop-rewarding-acts-of-terrorism-483307