Australia’s cancellation of $10 million in direct aid to the Palestinian Authority has seen it condemned as “worthy of being spat on” and derided as “servants of the US”.
Nabil Shaath, who advises PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas on foreign affairs and international relations, told a television station he had been “angered greatly” by the move.
“Australia’s decision about transferring $10 million angered me greatly. That’s all that Australia pays — $10 million that it pays to us, to the PA, through the international bank,” he said.
“(Australia) said that it transferred (the aid) to the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, so that it would not serve the payment of the salaries of the (martyrs and prisoners’) families.
“In other words, the truth is they are worthy of being spat on. You (Australians) are the servants of the US. No decision is made without Australia voting as the US votes — sometimes only these three vote: Israel, America and Australia …
“We do not want to declare war on Australia. But it cannot be, in other words, sometimes there is insolence that is impossible (to accept). I don’t want your $10 million. I don’t want to chase after them.”
Australia announced early last week the Palestinian Authority will no longer receive direct financial aid because donations increase the self-governing body’s ability to financially reward terrorist violence.
As Breitbart Jerusalem reported, the Palestinian Authority has in the past been accused of dispersing stipends or “martyr payments” of up to $US3500 ($4600) a month to the families of those killed while attacking Israel.
In 2017 alone, the Palestinian Authority’s budget showed a “huge increase” in the funding of salaries for imprisoned terrorists and the families of “martyrs,” according to an Israeli research institute.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said such payments are in conflict with Australian values.
“I am concerned that in providing funds for this aspect of the PA’s operations there is an opportunity for it to use its own budget to activities that Australia would never support,” she said.
The money will now be redirected to the United Nations Humanitarian Fund for the Palestinian Territories. Ms Bishop said this fund helped 1.9 million people, with about three quarters of the money to be spent in Gaza.
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