US Senate passes Taylor Force Act to end Palestinian funding to kill Israelis

Taylor Force Act ends U.S. funding to the Palestinian Authority until ‘Pay to Slay’ [Jews] payments end, but has three exceptions: childhood vaccination programs, to East Jerusalem hospitals, and the PA-Israel-Jordan water project.

By Elad Benari

 

The Senate on Friday gave final approval to the Taylor Force Act which would cut United States funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) if it continues to pay terrorists and their families.

The bipartisan bill was approved as part of a $1.3 trillion spending package to stave off a U.S.-wide government shutdown.

Abbas’ pensions to terrorists – updated 2017

The legislation, named for U.S. army veteran Taylor Force who was murdered in a stabbing attack in Jaffa in March of 2016, was approved by the House of Representatives in December. It cleared the Senate before a Friday midnight deadline.

The bill protects some aid funding to the PA, including for wastewater projects that have been spearheaded by co-operation between the PA, Israel, the U.S. and Jordan.

“Passage of the Taylor Force Act will give us much-needed leverage with the Palestinians to push back on this outrageous policy,” said Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who introduced the legislation, earlier this week.

“Finally, this was truly a bipartisan effort and I appreciate Senator Mitch McConnell, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, Senator Chuck Schumer, House Speaker Paul Ryan, Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs Ed Royce and Eliot Engel, and many others for helping push it across the finish line. I also appreciate the hard work of the Force family and the many friends of Taylor Force who made it clear to Congress that this practice must be stopped,” he added.

“Passage of the Taylor Force Act will serve as a shot across the bow to President Abbas, as he must be held accountable for the Palestinian Authority’s record of incitement and subsidizing of terror. It is my hope that by enacting this bill, we can put an end to the Palestinian Authority’s disturbing practice all while honoring the memory and sacrifice of Taylor Force,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said in a statement.

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas has in the past made clear that he will not stop the payments to terrorists.

 

View original Arutz Sheva publication at:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/243538