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Palestinian Authority Chooses to Fund Terrorists, But Not Heart Disease Patients
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visiting the West Bank city of Jenin. Photo: Reuters/Mohamad Torokman
A Palestinian hospital in Bethlehem has announced that it is reducing the number of beds in the hospital by 20%, and not accepting any patients to its cardiology department who are referred by the Palestinian Authority (PA) Ministry of Health, because the PA owes the hospital 65 million shekels (apx $18.2 million).
This comes just three weeks after Palestinian Media Watch reported that the PA was so anxious to pay the terrorists who had been arrested since October 7, that it decided to bypass its own regulations to make it easier for the terrorists to receive a PA salary.
Prior to October 7, the PA was spending between 50 and 55 million shekels a month to pay salaries to imprisoned terrorists, and with thousands of new imprisoned terrorists now eligible for salaries, the PA terror payments should reach 65 million shekels per month.
If the PA would decide to cancel its terror rewards for just one month, it could give the 65 million shekels to the hospital and have the PA’s money help sick patients instead of rewarding terrorists.
However, based on past PA behavior, the PA will never stop paying salaries to terrorists, but instead will tug on the heartstrings of international donors and beg for money. And based on past donor behavior, these donors will take their taxpayers’ money to cover the PA’s debt, so the PA can continue paying salaries to terrorists. Instead, these countries should tell the PA, “Use your own money instead of giving it away to terrorists.”
The following is the announcement of the cut in hospital services by the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation Hospital:
The Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation (BASR) Hospital board of directors announced a stoppage in receiving patients with referrals from the PA Ministry of Health in a number of [the hospital’s] departments, in particular referrals to the heart disease department, and a reduction in accepting patients referred to other departments.
A letter from the BASR board of directors to PA Minister of Health Dr. Mai Al-Kaila and the Palestinian [Authority] government … said that the BASR was forced to reduce the number of hospital beds from 100 to 80. The number of employees was also reduced due to the BASR’s financial crisis, after the Ministry of Health’s cumulative sums of debt reached 65 million Israeli shekels [apx $18.2 million -Ed.] …
The letter stated: “..In light of the severe monetary circumstances in the hospital, we will continue to provide medical services according to the BASR’s capability,” and it explained that it was decided to stop receiving patients to the cardiology department due to the inability to provide them with all the medical equipment that is necessary for its operation aside from cases of heart attack … The BASR also decided to stop receiving emergency cases (urgent care) [parentheses in source] and to reduce reception of patients for surgeries …
The BASR Hospital council explained that these decisions will take effect in another two weeks from today [Feb. 19, 2024], and noted that in recent years, paths have opened for resolving the problem of the cumulative debt, and the hospital has taken a lot upon itself with the employees and teams, but today it is no longer possible to continue bearing this anymore.”
[PNN, independent Palestinian news agency, Feb. 19, 2024; Fatah Movement — Bethlehem Branch, Telegram channel, Feb. 19, 2024]
Itamar Marcus, Founder and Director of Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article first appeared.
The post Palestinian Authority Chooses to Fund Terrorists, But Not Heart Disease Patients first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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After False Dawns, Gazans Hope Trump Will Force End to Two-Year-Old War
Palestinians walk past a residential building destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, after Hamas agreed to release hostages and accept some other terms in a US plan to end the war, in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Exhausted Palestinians in Gaza clung to hopes on Saturday that US President Donald Trump would keep up pressure on Israel to end a two-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced the entire population of more than two million.
Hamas’ declaration that it was ready to hand over hostages and accept some terms of Trump’s plan to end the conflict while calling for more talks on several key issues was greeted with relief in the enclave, where most homes are now in ruins.
“It’s happy news, it saves those who are still alive,” said 32-year-old Saoud Qarneyta, reacting to Hamas’ response and Trump’s intervention. “This is enough. Houses have been damaged, everything has been damaged, what is left? Nothing.”
GAZAN RESIDENT HOPES ‘WE WILL BE DONE WITH WARS’
Ismail Zayda, 40, a father of three, displaced from a suburb in northern Gaza City where Israel launched a full-scale ground operation last month, said: “We want President Trump to keep pushing for an end to the war, if this chance is lost, it means that Gaza City will be destroyed by Israel and we might not survive.
“Enough, two years of bombardment, death and starvation. Enough,” he told Reuters on a social media chat.
“God willing this will be the last war. We will hopefully be done with the wars,” said 59-year-old Ali Ahmad, speaking in one of the tented camps where most Palestinians now live.
“We urge all sides not to backtrack. Every day of delay costs lives in Gaza, it is not just time wasted, lives get wasted too,” said Tamer Al-Burai, a Gaza City businessman displaced with members of his family in central Gaza Strip.
After two previous ceasefires — one near the start of the war and another earlier this year — lasted only a few weeks, he said; “I am very optimistic this time, maybe Trump’s seeking to be remembered as a man of peace, will bring us real peace this time.”
RESIDENT WORRIES THAT NETANYAHU WILL ‘SABOTAGE’ DEAL
Some voiced hopes of returning to their homes, but the Israeli military issued a fresh warning to Gazans on Saturday to stay out of Gaza City, describing it as a “dangerous combat zone.”
Gazans have faced previous false dawns during the past two years, when Trump and others declared at several points during on-off negotiations between Hamas, Israel and Arab and US mediators that a deal was close, only for war to rage on.
“Will it happen? Can we trust Trump? Maybe we trust Trump, but will Netanyahu abide this time? He has always sabotaged everything and continued the war. I hope he ends it now,” said Aya, 31, who was displaced with her family to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.
She added: “Maybe there is a chance the war ends at October 7, two years after it began.”
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Mass Rally in Rome on Fourth Day of Italy’s Pro-Palestinian Protests
A Pro-Palestinian demonstrator waves a Palestinian flag during a national protest for Gaza in Rome, Italy, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Claudia Greco
Large crowds assembled in central Rome on Saturday for the fourth straight day of protests in Italy since Israel intercepted an international flotilla trying to deliver aid to Gaza, and detained its activists.
People holding banners and Palestinian flags, chanting “Free Palestine” and other slogans, filed past the Colosseum, taking part in a march that organizers hoped would attract at least 1 million people.
“I’m here with a lot of other friends because I think it is important for us all to mobilize individually,” Francesco Galtieri, a 65-year-old musician from Rome, said. “If we don’t all mobilize, then nothing will change.”
Since Israel started blocking the flotilla late on Wednesday, protests have sprung up across Europe and in other parts of the world, but in Italy they have been a daily occurrence, in multiple cities.
On Friday, unions called a general strike in support of the flotilla, with demonstrations across the country that attracted more than 2 million, according to organizers. The interior ministry estimated attendance at around 400,000.
Italy’s right-wing government has been critical of the protests, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suggesting that people would skip work for Gaza just as an excuse for a longer weekend break.
On Saturday, Meloni blamed protesters for insulting graffiti that appeared on a statue of the late Pope John Paul II outside Rome’s main train station, where Pro-Palestinian groups have been holding a protest picket.
“They say they are taking to the streets for peace, but then they insult the memory of a man who was a true defender and builder of peace. A shameful act committed by people blinded by ideology,” she said in a statement.
Israel launched its Gaza offensive after Hamas terrorists staged a cross border attack on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and taking 251 people hostage.
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Hamas Says It Agrees to Release All Israeli Hostages Under Trump Gaza Plan
Smoke rises during an Israeli military operation in Gaza City, as seen from the central Gaza Strip, October 2, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
Hamas said on Friday it had agreed to release all Israeli hostages, alive or dead, under the terms of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza proposal, and signaled readiness to immediately enter mediated negotiations to discuss the details.