Ministers to vote to cut PA funds for terror

'Anti-Deri Law on returning to seen of crime also comes to panel.

By GIL HOFFMAN
Updated: JUNE 11, 2017 02:11
A Palestinian stone-thrower looks on as he stands in front of a fire during clashes with IDF troops in the West Bank village of Duma (photo credit: REUTERS)
A Palestinian stone-thrower looks on as he stands in front of a fire during clashes with IDF troops in the West Bank village of Duma
(photo credit: REUTERS)
The Ministerial Committee on Legislation is expected to approve a bill Sunday that would require the government to subtract the money the Palestinian Authority gives to terrorists and their families from tax money given to the PA.
The bill’s initiator, Yesh Atid MK Elazar Stern, said the PA violates the Oslo Accords by paying the terrorists and their families, so there is no reason for Israel to give the PA money it uses for that purpose.
“We must put a stop to the fact that terrorists and their families receive payment for murdering Israelis,” Stern said.
“This bill is critical for Israel’s security. The funds the PA gives terrorists are an incentive to carry out more acts of terror.”
Stern said he believes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supports the bill and Likud ministers will vote to advance the legislation.
The ministers are less likely to approve a bill sponsored by Zionist Union MK Miki Rosenthal that would prevent anyone who committed a crime involving moral turpitude from ever becoming a Knesset member, a minister, or a mayor.
Rosenthal said he submitted the bill to prevent a recurrence of what happened with Shas chairman Arye Deri, who was convicted of bribery for acts he committed in the Interior Ministry and then returned to the Knesset and the post of interior minister.
“A politician who is a thief should not be allowed to return to the scene of the crime,” Rosenthal said.
Under the current law, someone who was convicted of a crime with moral turpitude cannot return to politics for seven years after completing his or her sentence.
The committee is also scheduled to vote on Sunday whether to support a draft law that would allow the country’s administrative affairs courts to rule on conflicts between Israelis living in settlements and state authorities operating in the territories.