EMET Endorses Paul Legislation to Suspend U.S. Funding to the PA

(Washington, D.C. – May 5, 2014) – Today, The Endowment for Middle East Truth (EMET) endorsed legislation sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) to require the United States to suspend funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA), following the announcement by PA President Mahmoud Abbas that they will be joining a national unity government with the Gaza-based terrorist organization, Hamas.  The legislation has been co-sponsored by fifteen other U.S. Senators.

The reconciliation agreement between the PA and Hamas exposes the duplicity of the supposedly moderate PA and Mahmoud Abbas. The PA cloaks its true nature from the Western world with Abbas’ words of “peace,” yet both Hamas and the PA advocate for the Palestinian right of return and the destruction of the State of Israel. Abbas and the PA have been supporting Palestinian terrorism against Israel for the last two decades since its formation, with Palestinian state media regularly applauding suicide bombers, and calling on children to become martyrs, and the PA’s Fatah engaging in acts of terrorism.

The U.S. gives the PA more than $600 million a year. In addition to supporting terrorism and Palestinian incitement to violence, giving the money now contravenes United States Law.  Hamas was designated as a U.S. foreign terrorist organization in 1997, making it illegal for any person in the U.S. or under U.S. jurisdiction to provide material support or resources to the entity.

“Since September 13, 1993, the Palestinian Authority has been playing a double, duplicitous and highly dangerous game of “Good Cop/Bad Cop,” Sarah Stern, the Founder and President of EMET said. “While the Palestinian Authority ended their diplomatic isolation in the community of nations by signing Oslo, Wye, the Roadmap for Middle East Peace, and all subsequent agreements, they have used their enhanced diplomatic status to wage a nonphysical war against Israel through systematic campaigns of distortion and dehumanization of Israel and the Jew in the international court of public opinion.  It is way past the time to stop giving American’s tax payer dollars to such duplicitous terror supporters as the PA.  I congratulate Sen. Paul, and all of his co-sponsors, for producing this vital legislation.”