Reply to written question on social welfare payments to Palestinians in prisons

Translated from the Norwegian

 

 

From Member of the Storting Hans Olav Syversen (Christian Democratic Party ) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs:
According to an article published on Dagbladet.no on 4 September, aid funding provided by Norway to the Palestinian Authority is being given to terrorists held in Israeli prisons and their families. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states in the article that this is a matter of social welfare payments. But how can the Minister of Foreign Affairs explain the fact that the sums received by the terrorists are, according to Palestinian Media Watch, significantly higher than the average salaries of Palestinian teachers, soldiers etc. and what consequences does the Minister believe this should have, if this is true? 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs’ reply:
Like the authorities in other countries, the Palestinian Authority has various schemes in place for providing support to its citizens. Social welfare payments to Palestinians held in Palestinian and Israeli prisons and their families form part of the Palestinian social security system. The aim is to compensate for loss of income. The prisoners must apply to receive these benefits. In order to be eligible, the prisoner must be the family’s main provider and the family must have no other significant form of income. Confirmation from the Red Cross that the person concerned is actually in prison is also required. This scheme has been in place since the Palestinian Authority was established.   

A similar scheme exists for Palestinians who are members of the Israeli social security system. In the event of loss of income from the main breadwinner, families are entitled to apply for support from the Israeli social security system.

According to information provided by the Palestinian Authority, the average monthly support to prisoners is ILS 250, i.e., approximately NOK 375. The support is used to cover canteen expenses and the amount is determined by the prison authorities. The average monthly support provided to the prisoner’s family is a further ILS 1 500, approximately NOK 2 050. By way of comparison, the average monthly income of a teacher is ILS 2 600, about NOK 3 900. The average monthly income of a police officer varies according to his/her qualifications. A police officer with two year’s training earns between ILS 1 600 and ILS 2 550 (between NOK 2 500 and NOK 4 160). 

Budget support provided by Norway to the Palestinian Authority is channelled through the World Bank. The main purpose of the funding is to support the development and operation of Palestinian state institutions with a view to promoting the establishment of a sustainable Palestinian state. The budget support is also used for the provision of public welfare schemes. The Palestinian Authority is responsible for deciding how the budget support is used.

According to the International Monetary Fund, the financial administration of the Palestinian Authority generally meets high standards. Norway is in regular contact with the Palestinian Authority and other donors to ensure that aid provided by Norway is used as intended and in accordance with Palestinian law.

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