August 18, 2022 | Flash Brief
Palestinian Terror Attack in Jerusalem Wounds Eight, Including Five Americans
August 18, 2022 | Flash Brief
Palestinian Terror Attack in Jerusalem Wounds Eight, Including Five Americans
Latest Developments
A Palestinian terrorist on Sunday opened fire on a civilian bus near the Old City of Jerusalem, wounding eight bystanders, including five U.S. citizens. One of the wounded U.S. citizens was a pregnant woman from New York. Following an hours-long manhunt, the perpetrator turned himself in.
The terrorist’s family can now expect to receive “pay-to-slay” payments from the Palestinian Authority (PA) — monthly subsidies that effectively function as a terrorist welfare system. The PA rewards terrorists and their families for violence against Israelis, based on a sliding scale relative to the brutality of the terror attack.
Expert Analysis
“U.S. taxpayers deserve to know that their hard-earned money is being used to subsidize a system that rewards attacks on American citizens. This latest attack should be a wake-up call for Congress to rein in U.S. bilateral assistance to the PA to align it with both the letter and the spirit of the Taylor Force Act.” – FDD’s Rich Goldberg
“Through its ‘pay-to-slay’ terrorist welfare program, the PA continues to incentivize and reward acts of terrorism against Israeli and U.S. citizens. The Biden administration and Congress should use all the levers available to pressure the PA to end this perverse policy.” – FDD’s Enia Krivine
U.S. Law Prohibits Funding PA Budget That Includes ‘Pay-to-Slay’ Payments
In 2018, Congress passed the Taylor Force Act, named after an American veteran and West Point graduate who was vacationing in Tel Aviv when a terrorist stabbed him to death. The law prohibits U.S. funding to the PA while it continues incentivizing terror through “pay-to-slay” policies.
However, U.S. taxpayer dollars are still being used to prop up the PA as it rewards terrorists who have maimed and killed U.S. citizens. In 2021, the Biden administration faced criticism on Capitol Hill when it renewed bilateral assistance for West Bank and Gaza programs that effectively subsidize the PA’s regular budget.
Lone-Wolf Terrorist
The terrorist who struck on Sunday was a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem named Amir al-Sidawi. Reports indicate that Israel had previously arrested him for criminal offenses, but he had no history of involvement in terrorism. No evidence indicates Siwadi had a link to an organized Palestinian militant faction, suggesting he acted alone.
Praise and Incitement From Palestinian Factions
Even though the terrorist was likely a lone wolf, the spokesperson for Hamas praised the “heroic shooting operation,” pledging that Palestinians will continue to fight Israel. The spokesperson for Palestinian Islamic Jihad stated that the terrorist attack “embodied the unity of the arenas,” referring to the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The spokesperson added that “resistance is the approach of the Palestinian people.” The continued dissemination of inciteful materials and propaganda by Palestinian terrorist factions and media channels may continue to inspire lone-wolf acts of terror.