Palestinian official Qadura Fares has been fired by President Mahmoud Abbas after his public backing for continued payments to the families of detainees held in Israeli prisoners, according to reports.
Abbas made changes to the regular stipends to the prisoners’ families, also known as the ‘martyrs’ fund’, last week, following sustained pressure from Israel and the US who argue the payments incentivise violence.
After the announcement, Fares held a press conference where he urged Abbas to walk back on his decision to put conditions on payments to the families of detainees and Palestinians killed by Israel.
This week, Abbas issued a decree announcing that Fares would be replaced as minister for detainees by Raed Abu al-Humus. No explanation for the decision was made but it is believed to be due to Fares speaking out against Abbas’ move to restrict payments to the prisoners’ families.
Hamas immediately slammed Fares’ firing as “submission to Zionist and American dictates”, which follows threats made by Israel to the Palestinian Authority about the payments.
Palestinian detainees are often the breadwinners for their families making these stipends an essential source of income for partners and children.
Critics of the move say withdrawing these payments is a form of collective punishment that could drive detainees’ children into destitution or crime.Â
Last month, Israel‘s parliament advanced a bill to revoke the citizenship or permanent residency of Palestinians accused of “terror acts” and receiving money from the PA.
Activists have slammed the bill as it would only ever apply to Palestinian citizens of Israel, and is viewed as an attempt to “ethnically cleanse” the Palestinian population from Israel.
“The law in its preliminary form constitutes an attempt to circumvent international law – and even Israeli law – which does not allow the expulsion of a citizen without the presence of another country that grants them citizenship or residency,” writer and freed prisoner Ameer Makhoul told The New Arab‘s Arabic-language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.
“The law means gradual ethnic cleansing, starting with individuals and then expanding in scope.”
