Reply to question on social welfare payments for Palestinians in prisons

Translated from the Norwegian

 

From Member of the Storting Kjell Ingolf Ropstad (Christian Democratic Party ) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs:
According to the Israeli media, the Palestinian Authority makes substantial payments to people being held in Israeli prisons, convicted of acts of terrorism and murder. Those serving the longest sentences are rewarded with the highest payments. This financial support also goes to terrorists from Hamas and Islamic Jihad. How does the Foreign Minister intend to raise this with the Palestinian Authority and what does he intend to do to ensure that funding from Norway is not used to reward terrorism? 

The Minister of Foreign Affairs’ reply:
I would like first to refer to written question no. 1905 (2011–12) on the same issue from Member of the Storting Hans Olav Syversen. 

Social welfare payments for 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 Israeli social security system has a similar scheme.

We have made enquiries to the Palestinian Authority about the scheme. According to information we have received, direct support provided to the prisoners is used to cover canteen expenses. The Palestinian Authority also provides funding to cover the cost of fines so that under-age Palestinian prisoners can be released from Israeli prisons. The prisoners’ families are also entitled to receive social welfare payments from the Palestinian Authority. The size of these payments depends on how many children there are in the family and on how many years the prisoner has been in prison.

Recent Israeli media reports have claimed that up to 6 % of Palestinian public funding has been used to support Palestinian prisoners. We have checked this figure with the Palestinian Ministry of Finance, the International Monetary Fund and the prison administration, and have been informed that the total amount of funding provided to the prisoners is significantly lower than the Israeli media reports claim. The support cannot be said to have a significant effect on the Palestinian Authority’s financial situation.

As regards the issue of funds provided by Norway, I would like to refer you once again to the reply I gave to Member of the Storting Hans Olav Syversen. 

 

***