PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat stated yesterday that paying terrorists were an obligation under international law.And it isn't the PLO that should pay them - but Israel!
However, if Israel refuses to pay the terrorists, then the Palestinians must pick up the slack.
Yes, he really said this.
“Palestine pays a financial price for the occupation because Israel refuses to uphold its international obligations regarding prisoners. We will not abandon our prisoners. We consider this a moral and legal obligation enshrined by Article 81 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. While Israel will not make these payments, as required by international humanitarian law, Palestine will provide for the families through the Palestinian social welfare system – as any other nation worldwide provides for the maintenance of their citizens.”
OK, let's look at Article 81 of the Fourth Geneva Convention:
Art. 81. Parties to the conflict who intern protected persons shall be bound to provide free of charge for their maintenance, and to grant them also the medical attention required by their state of health.This is not about prisoners. It is about people who are internment camps for whatever (security) reason the occupying power decides to place them there. The Conventions make this clear, as it talks about entire families should be kept together in internment. it distinguishes between internment and imprisonment, which is what happens after conviction for crimes.
No deduction from the allowances, salaries or credits due to the internees shall be made for the repayment of these costs.
The Detaining Power shall provide for the support of those dependent on the internees, if such dependents are without adequate means of support or are unable to earn a living.
Beyond that, the Palestinians are obviously not paying the prisoners and their families a normal social security expense, but an additional salary based purely on their status as terrorists, on a sliding scale based on how heinous their acts were.
As usual, Erekat is a liar. But he knows that paying terrorists looks very bad for the PLO, and he wants to throw as much dust on the concept as he can.