US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday appeared to walk back his statement that the Palestinians intend to end the practice of paying the families of terrorists jailed for attacking or killing Israelis.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, June 13, 2017, before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. So Mideast followers were surprised and confused when Tillerson said Tuesday the Palestinians had changed the policy.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday that the US would support efforts by Russian Federation and Ukraine to resolve a yearslong conflict outside of an internationally backed agreement signed by both countries, the implementation of which has always been a USA condition for lifting sanctions against Moscow.
Congress is now considering legislation, dubbed the Taylor Force Act, that would cease all US aid to the Palestinian government until it can certify these payments have stopped.
Asked if China had lived up to its pledges to crack down on the North, Tillerson said its actions had been "uneven", but added: "They have taken steps, visible steps that we can confirm".
In response to Tillerson's testimony, Greenblatt told the Jewish Insider that he wanted Tillerson and President Trump to reconsider their position "and make clear that the State Department will not wane in its efforts to stem anti-Jewish hatred overseas". "If we want to do it, we will announce it. Giving a concession to the Israelis is not something for the USA secretary of State to do", said Shaath, speaking by telephone.
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Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman expressed skepticism on Wednesday.
Issa Karaka, head of prisoner affairs for the Palestinian Authority, told Haaretz that the payments have been made this month and will be made next month.
There was also confusion about whether Tillerson was assured that payments to the terrorists and their families and widows would be stopped or just to the terrorists. "They have changed their policy, at least I have been informed they've changed that policy", he said during a Senate budget hearing. Tillerson told lawmakers a review of the State Department and USAID is underway to determine how to reorganize them. All of them, including around 300 children and 50 women, receive monthly support from the Palestinian Authority.
The "martyrs' fund" was set up in 1967 by the Palestine Liberation Organization, the group that formally represents all Palestinians.
When Trump met with Abbas in Washington on May 3, the White House said the USA president brought up the issue with the Palestinian leader.
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