The White House has a lot of explaining to do. They’ve been caught red-handed.
As a new bombshell report accuses the Biden admin of funding Palestinian terrorists.
Translations of Palestinian media indicate that numerous members of the Palestinian Authority security forces, funded by the State Department, have been implicated in recent assaults against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
According to Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), an Israeli watchdog organization, its translations of social media posts and broadcasts from Fatah, the governing party in the West Bank, have lauded many members of the Palestinian Authority security forces for their involvement in attacks against Israelis. Since 2007, the State Department has allocated over $170 million to support these forces, offering resources such as weapons training and communication infrastructure, as per a review of federal contract data by the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Fatah, which holds control over the Palestinian Authority, has openly celebrated the alleged participation of its security forces in attacks on Israelis, as revealed by PMW’s translations.
A Fatah official stated on a Palestinian government television program in March 2023, as translated by PMW, “I think that the entire Palestinian people and the whole world has [recently] seen that more than 1,500 military operations against the Israeli occupation were led by the Fatah Movement members and the [PA] Security Forces members.”
According to PMW’s translations, a Fatah-run television program host claimed, “More than two-thirds of the martyrs in the West Bank over the last year and a half belong to the Fatah movement and the PA … More than 355 of our Palestinian people’s prisoners inside [Israeli] prisons are from the Palestinian Security Forces—in other words, the PA’s soldiers.”
Describing the Palestinian Authority security forces as part of a unified entity dealing with the Israeli occupation, Fatah Deputy Chairman Mahmoud Al-Aloul’s statement, translated by PMW from the Fatah Commission of Information and Culture’s Facebook page, underscores their involvement.
By analyzing public materials from Fatah, PMW has identified over 50 members of the Palestinian Authority security forces allegedly implicated in terrorism against Israelis since 2020. These instances range from clashes with soldiers to shooting at civilians and plotting terrorist activities.
For instance, Hamdi Shaker Abu Dayya Al-Zama’reh, reportedly a member of the Palestinian Authority security forces, opened fire on an Israeli civilian bus in January 2023, according to PMW’s translation of a Fatah-produced video. He was killed days later by Israeli soldiers in a firefight.
Abdallah Abu Shalal, another member of the Palestinian Authority security forces, allegedly led a terrorist cell planning an attack before being killed, as per PMW’s translation of Israeli and Palestinian sources.
Ahmed Taha, also identified as a security force member, purportedly conspired to carry out attacks against Israelis, as per PMW’s translation of a Fatah video. PMW’s translations also suggest that at least 20 members of the Palestinian Authority security forces have shot at Israeli soldiers since 2020.
Despite their intended role in maintaining peace and coordinating security operations with Israel, the Palestinian Authority security forces, according to The Washington Post, have been involved in domestic repression and confrontations with Israelis. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas once told Haaretz in 2016, “Without the coordination, a bloody intifada would break out.”
These security forces have received long-standing support from the United States government through the State Department.
In December, the State Department sought to contract a third party to construct a “Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training facility for the Palestinian Security Forces” in the West Bank, aiming to enhance their weapons proficiency under various conditions, as described in the contract.
A State Department official informed the DCNF in December that the contract aligns with U.S. Middle East Peace policy objectives by aiding in “enabling the United States to achieve its Middle East Peace policy objectives.”
The official further stated that the training facility would promote the rule of law, enhance Palestinian protection against crime and violence, and counter terrorism threatening regional stability.
This facility represents the latest instance of the State Department’s support for an armed organization whose members are alleged to have attacked Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Between 2007 and 2014, the State Department allocated $173 million for the “training and support” of the Palestinian Authority security forces. Subsequently, in 2015, it approved over a quarter-million dollars for specialized training. Additionally, in 2018, more than half a million dollars were awarded for designing a new radio system, and approximately $1.5 million was spent between 2017 and 2019 on a transformation program for the security sector.
A department spokesperson reaffirmed their commitment to working with the Palestinian Authority and civil society to advance reforms and reinforce non-violence and counter-terrorism efforts.
In contrast, the Trump administration halted over $200 million in general Palestinian aid in 2018 due to Hamas’ control over Gaza, a designated terror organization. However, the Biden administration reinstated Palestinian aid funding in 2021.
Under the Biden administration, substantial aid was provided to the Palestinians, including $235 million in 2021, $316 million in 2022, and an additional $100 million in 2023 following terrorist attacks on October 7.
In July 2023, the State Department solicited bids for “400 sets of Personal Protective Equipment” for Palestinian Authority security forces.
Despite reports of Palestinian Authority security personnel engaging in attacks against Israelis, the State Department refrained from offering official assessments on external reports when questioned.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
