Abbas Defends Pay-to-Slay Policy to UN Applause

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas defended the PA’s policy of paying terrorists to kill Jews during his Sept. 26 United Nations General Assembly speech, prompting applause from the UN.

Abbas criticized Israel’s law deducting funding to the PA in retaliation for the pay-to-slay, declaring that “the international community” is against the Israeli law since it worsens “the suffering of our people.” 

He added, “Even if I had only one penny, I would’ve given it to the families of the martyrs, prisoners and heroes.” The crowd at the UN applauded the aforementioned line, according to Ynet News.

Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon said in response, “The applause that accompanied [Abbas’] remarks about paying salaries to terrorists is the legacy he will leave behind.”

Jerusalem Post Senior Contributing Editor Lahav Harkov tweeted, “UN applauds the PA paying people to murder Jews, which is sadly typical for them.”

UN applauds the PA paying people to murder Jews, which is sadly typical for them. https://t.co/mpFus3KpLg

— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) September 27, 2019

Abbas also said in his Sept. 26 speech that the PA will be holding elections for the first time since 2006.

“We have believed in democracy as a foundation for the building of our state and society,” Abbas said. “We have enshrined this in our constitution and exercised this on the ground. We conducted general elections in 1996, 2005 and 2006, in addition to regular local elections.”

He added that he will announce the date of the elections when the U.N. General Assembly concludes. Abbas has been serving as president of the PA since 2005, even though his term technically ended in 2009.

Additionally, Abbas threatened to rescind all agreements with Israel should the Israeli government follow through on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to annex Israeli settlements in the Jordan Valley.