The PLO is outraged!
They don't have a problem with the morality of paying to support terror, though. They are upset because Iran refuses to send them the money to distribute, and instead wants to pay the terror families directly:
The Palestinian Authority criticized Iran on Saturday for comments made by its parliament international advisor, who said Iran would send funds to Palestinians families through its own channels rather than through the PA.The criticism is mounting.
Earlier on Saturday, Hussein Sheikh al-Islam was quoted by website al-Resalah as saying that "experience has proven that the [Palestinian] Authority is not reliable, so Tehran will send the money in its own way."
"Unfortunately, donations that were sent to the Authority did not reach the right people," al-Islam said.
Palestinian Presidency Spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said it would have been better for Iran to officially transfer the funds to the PA’s organizations, instead of sending them through "twisted ways and illegitimate means."
As Iran started setting up a mechanism to have families apply for funding via a website, more Fatah officials are expressing their anger at not getting a cut.
The Secretary-General of the Palestinian Popular Struggle Front and member of the Executive Committee of the PLO Ahmad Majdalani said,"We welcome the support of Arab, Islamic and friendly foreign countries to help Palestinians in general, and the families of martyrs, prisoners and the wounded in particular, but it must pass through the formal means and legitimacy," stressing that the PLO is the sole and legitimate representative of Palestinians and therefore all money should funnel through them. he called the Iranian plan "an affront to the dignity of the Palestinian nation and our martyrs."
Secretary General of the Palestine Liberation Front and a member of the Executive Committee of the PLO Abu Yousef said that the PLO would "refuse to subdue the blood of martyrs and the suffering of the prisoners and the wounded to the visions and goals of other political interests."
He said there are lots of existing committees and official bodies and associations that specialize in distribution of cash to the families of the "martyrs" that funds should funnel through.
Executive Committee of the PLO member Mahmoud Ismail said Iran's quest to provide funds for the families of the "martyrs" and the prisoners through unofficial routes is proof that they do not want to support the Palestinian people.
Secretary-General of the Palestinian Arab Front Jamil Shehadeh said "Iranian officials statements (about the lack of transparency under the PA) is an affront to the PA and the PLO."
Talal Abu Zarifa of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine saw the proposal as an insult to the martyrs of Palestine the national struggle.
This is a bigger story than just a dispute between Iran and the PLO.
On the one hand we have Iran that wants to reward terrorists. And on the other hand we have the "moderate" and internationally approved Palestinian Authority that also wants to reward terrorists - and to skim some of the "martyr" funds for themselves.
And both sides get billions of dollars from the moral Western world so they can fight over who can bankroll terror more.
You know, the billions of dollars that are supposed to influence them away from supporting terror.
Perhaps it is time to rethink the policy of sending lots of money to those who proudly fight over paying terrorists?
We have lots of ideas, but we need more resources to be even more effective. Please donate today to help get the message out and to help defend Israel.
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