Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon announcement of large financial rewards to Palestinians attacking Israel was made possible by the tens of billions of dollars released to the Islamic terrorist regime in Iran. Accordingly, the family of each Palestinian killed while attacking Israelis will receive $7,000, and those whose house is demolished by the IDF, will be awarded $30,000 each.
It is unlikely that Iran’s latest inducement to terrorism against Israel surprised U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, or President Obama, since both have acknowledged that some of the billions of dollars released to Iran, “will end up in the hands of the IRGC or of other entities, some of which are labeled terrorists.” Indeed, both should be held accountable for knowingly funding terrorism in violation of the Patriot Act. That, however, is not going to happen. Instead, growing Palestinians attacks on Israel will be seen by the Obama administration, as an opportunity to increase its pressure on Israel to agree to a Palestinian terrorist state.
Sadly, like Iran, the U.S. also helps fund the terrorist Palestinian Authority with at least $500 million annually. This is given to the PA in complete disregard to their incitement to and support of terrorist attacks against the Jewish State. And the PA, like Iran, does not hide its sponsorship of terrorist attacks on Israel. Palestinians killed while attacking Israelis are glorified and honored by the PA. Their families receive stipends and other benefits from the PA coffers, which are annually replenished by the U.S. The Obama administration is well aware of this. However, instead of demanding a stop to the PA’s hostilities towards Israel, cutting their aid, or even threatening to do so, Kerry had “urged” Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas last week, for “calm and a decrease in violence, incitement and inflammatory rhetoric,” according to State Department spokesman John Kirby.
According to the ITIC:
- “This past week the current intensive Palestinian terrorist campaign continued. Stabbing attacks were again prominent in various locations in Judea and Samaria. Some of them were carried out by adolescents 14 to 16 years old. The most prominent stabbing attack was carried out in a supermarket in the Sha’ar Benyamin commercial center, north of Jerusalem, where one customer was killed and another seriously injured. Therefore, the number of Israelis killed in the current Palestinian terrorist campaign now stands at 32.
- The Palestinian Authority (PA) and Fatah continue supporting the terrorist campaign in various ways. That includes the presence of its senior PA and Fatah figures at the funerals held for terrorists killed during attacks. Hamas calls for the escalation of the terrorist campaign and for making the “lone-wolf” terrorist attacks more organized and effective. The Facebook pages of young Palestinians killed repeatedly contain postings showing admiration for shaheeds and expressing the wish to die emulating them.
- Hamas is also encouraging the current terrorist campaign and uses its affiliated media to stress the need for continued and expanded “resistance” [i.e., terrorist] attacks. On February 16, 2016, Lama Khater, a Hamas-affiliated woman journalist from Hebron, wrote an article weighing the positive and negative aspects of terrorist attacks carried out by lone Palestinians. The article was widely read and reprinted by the media, appearing on Facebook pages affiliated with Hamas.
- According to the article, the “lone-wolf” attacks had a positive aspect, which was the reinforcing of the “culture of resistance.” However, there were also negative aspects, such as the fact that the attacks were random and not well-planned. She claimed the revolutionary atmosphere created in Palestinian society resulting from the attacks hadprepared the ground for more organized and effective “resistance” activities.
- Therefore, Lama Khater added, what was necessary was to improve the skills as well as the security and military awareness of the lone “man of the resistance” in his choice of targets. Also, a number of small, individual squads had to be formed in every area to ensure the continuation of an “active resistance.” All that, she claimed, should be directed by the [terrorist] organizations, which had the knowledge they could contribute. She also stressed the need for extensive coverage of the current events to encourage more operatives to join the circle of activity [i.e., violence].
- Hamas Video Encourages Terrorist Attacks
- Hamas issued a new animated video: “The Brave Men of the [West] Bank”,” encouraging terrorist attacks, promising paradise to those who carry out terrorist attacks (YouTube, February 20, 2016). Here are a few pictures from the video:
