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To: National and International desks

Contact: Juda Engelmayer of American Jewish Congress, 212-360-1540, 917-733-3561, Jengelmayer@AJCongress.org

NEW YORK, Dec. 6 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The American Jewish Congress today condemned a reported decision by the Palestinian Authority to offer financial support to the families of suicide bombers. Legislation to that effect was signed into law by P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas on Dec. 5. The report in the Arab press was confirmed to AJCongress by Ra'anan Gissin, spokesman for Prime Minister Sharon.

If this is an accurate report of legislation enacted by the P.A., it cannot be justified on moral grounds. Assuming this new tack is intended to lure voters away from Hamas in advance of P.A. legislative elections next month, it still cannot be justified. Hamas maintains a web of support services for families of suicide bombers. "Not everything is permissible in the name of winning elections, and this action in particular is obscene," said AJCongress President Paul S. Miller. At some point, Mr. Abbas proposes to win by losing, that is, to prevail in the vote by surrendering on his platform. "The attempt to pretend that such a victory is worth something is taking on a dangerous character and is a diplomatic farce," Miller continued.

"Rather than confront Hamas, Abbas is playing according to their rules," Miller said, "This latest move to emulate Hamas is testimony to the power of terrorism in Palestinian political culture." Miller added, "Not only did Abbas fail to disarm Hamas as a precondition for their participation in the political process, but the Palestinian 'leader' is following Hamas' example, rather than setting his own alternative path."

"To single out the families of suicide bombers as deserving of special attention is a slap in the face to all those who have suffered from the terrorist attacks these grants honor, including those who just died in the bombing in Netanya. It is also a slap in the face to all those who have placed their hopes in Mr. Abbas as a viable negotiating partner for Israel. Moreover, to the extent that providing the families of suicide bombers financial support encourages such bombing, this action makes the Palestinian Authority complicit in murder. "

The American Jewish Congress is a membership association of Jewish Americans, organized to defend Jewish interests at home and abroad, through public policy advocacy, in the courts, Congress, the executive branch and state and local governments. It also works overseas with others who are similarly engaged. Web site: http://www.ajcongress.org

http://www.usnewswire.com/

The very same day that an Islamic Jihad suicide bomber killed at least five Israelis and wounded more than 40 innocent people in a Netanya shopping mall, the Palestinian daily, al Hayat al Jadida (page 3), reported that Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, signed a new law to support the families of suicide bombers.

A day earlier (Dec 4, 2005), the news was celebrated in a special gathering in Gaza, organized by Yasser Ararir, Chairman of the Gazan Association of Martyr Families, who led the public campaign for the approval of this law for over a year. He praised Abbas' decision.



Enacting a special law to financially support terrorists will ensure that this kind of activity continues. Each shahid’s family will receive a monthly stipend of at least $250. The family of a married shahid will receive an additional $50. Parents will receive an additional $25, and each additional child and/or brother or sister will get another $15.



This new budget to support the families of suicide bombers comes on the heels of the recent approval of another new law providing more than $50 million per year to support Palestinian terrorists in Israeli prisons and Palestinian terrorists wounded while attacking Israel.



According to the latest figures from the Palestinian Authority, 3,746 Palestinians were killed to date during the second Intifada (September 2000 - December 2005). Many of them were killed while engaging in terrorist attacks against Israel. The budget for this group alone is more than $11 million per year.



Add the financial support now enacted by law to the families, spouses, children and siblings and the budget will increase by at least $20 million annually. This new law is not limited only to the suicide bombers of the second Intifada, but includes all the Palestinian suicide bombers since this practice began – thereby, adding many more millions of dollars to the budget for more terrorists. For example, covering the basic monthly grant for the 1,533 Palestinian terrorists who participated in the first Intifada (1987 - 1993), will total more than $4.5 million per year.



This law provides legitimacy to the “armed struggleâ€Â