Listeners:
Top listeners:
play_arrow

By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
RAMALLAH/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he remains committed to payments to families of prisoners convicted of terror against Israel or to loved ones of those who died while carrying out acts of terrorism.
His comments on what his critics call “pay-to-slay” payments came despite him issuing a decree that was supposed to end the scheme amid frictions over the issue with the United States.
It was not immediately clear whether the return of fiercely pro-Israel Donald J. Trump to the White House played a role in the decision.
In video footage seen by Worthy News, Abbas told the 12th session of his Fatah party’s Revolutionary Council, the Palestinian legislature in the West Bank, that the Palestinian Authority would continue the payments. “I told you once, and I stand by my word, that if we have only a single penny left, it will go to the prisoners and the martyrs,” he said.
“I will not allow [anyone] – and neither will you – to remove any commitment, interest, or penny that is given to them.”
The closing statement of the Revolutionary Council session, issued on February 22, affirmed the council’s commitment to “redouble the efforts to support and assist the prisoners in the occupation jails.”
It described them as “heroes of [the struggle for] freedom who are first in line for protection and sponsorship.”
It was not immediately clear what impact the statement would have on U.S. support for the Palestinians in the West Bank, also known as Judea and Samaria.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Anti-immigration and local parties made gains in municipal elections in the Netherlands, where concerns over rising migration from mainly Islamic countries, the financial impact of climate policies, and increased defense spending have dominated national and local debates.
Israel signaled Thursday it would refrain from further attacks on energy infrastructure after a strike on Iran’s vast South Pars natural gas field triggered retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, sending oil and natural gas prices sharply higher and raising fears of a wider regional escalation.
European Union leaders condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision on Thursday to block a 90 billion euro ($98 billion) loan for Ukraine, linking his stance to a dispute with Kyiv over Russian oil supplies.
Families and friends of scores of Christians held in Iranian prisons have requested prayers as “concerns for their well-being grow and communication has all but ceased” amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, Christians told Worthy News Thursday.
As a marathon debate over the SAVE America Act continues in the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats are sparring over whether the voter ID bill would strengthen election security or discourage potential voters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Thursday that Iran has lost its ability to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles following nearly three weeks of coordinated U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing regional conflict.
Israel dramatically expanded its military campaign against Iran, striking Iranian Navy targets in the Caspian Sea for the first time since the launch of “Operation Roaring Lion,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Thursday.
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
Copyright The New Jerusalem Media.