Uncategorized
Here Is Concrete Proof the Palestinian Authority Is Continuing ‘Pay-for-Slay’ to Terrorists
European foreign ministers talk over lunch at the offices of the honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Geneva, Switzerland June 20, 2025, before meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/Pool via REUTERS
Despite the Palestinian Authority (PA)’s ongoing claims that it has stopped rewarding imprisoned terrorists and the families of “Martyrs,” Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) can report that on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 10:00 AM, the PA post offices paid terrorists’ salaries and stipends to families of terrorist “Martyrs.”
Because the PA has told the donor countries that it stopped the Pay-for-Slay program, the PA made no official announcements and it delayed the payments so that everyone, even the terrorists’ families, would think that the program had ended.
On Saturday, however, the PA did pay the salaries.
This was one of the conversations between “Pay-for-Slay” recipients on social media following the payment:
Good evening, everyone, for those whose salaries are above 5,000 [shekels], how much did they send you today as a percentage of the payment?
[Answer 1]: “3,000.”
[Answer 2]: “50% of the salaries and [those making less than 2,000 received] the full amount. FYI, the salary is for June.”
The 50% payment is the same percentage the PA had paid all its employees earlier this month. Due to its financial crisis, since 2019, the PA has not paid full salaries to its employees.
This payment did not come as quickly or as easily for the terrorists’ families as it usually does. The long delay in paying the salaries likely occurred because many donor countries are waiting every month to see if the PA would stick to its promises and would stop rewarding terror.
Here is the timeline for a rollercoaster two weeks in the PA areas:
Sun Oct. 12
PA pays salaries to its employees. As stated, due to the financial crisis, the PA paid only 50% of the employees’ salaries, with a minimum of 2,000 shekels. The salaries are for July — two months late.
Mon Oct. 13
Families of “Martyrs” and terrorist prisoners expect and are waiting for salaries, which are usually paid in the post offices the following day, but there is no announcement.
Tues-Wed Oct. 14 -15
Families of terrorists start criticizing the PA.
Thurs Oct. 16
Families of “Martyrs” in Jordan and Syria receive their monthly payments.
The PA is silent about payments to terrorists’ families in the PA areas.
Mon Oct. 20
Small demonstrations are held against the PA in Ramallah by families of terrorists. One threatens violence: “Either we live with honor, or we die with honor.”
Tues Oct. 21
Demonstrations are held in all major cities against the PA.
Wed Oct. 22
Families of “Martyrs” in Lebanon receive their monthly payments.
The PA’s silence through official sources creates the impression that it stopped “Pay-for-Slay” and many Palestinians assume the program has ceased. One demands payment: “It’s either us or us” — meaning the PA has no choice but to pay them.
Thurs Oct. 23
Post office workers tell people unofficially that salaries will be paid on Saturday: “Salaries will be paid but there will be no official announcement.” Even though post offices are usually closed on Saturday, the PA will send special staff.
Fri October 24
11:23 AM: An announcement is issued quoting a private message by a Commission of Prisoners official, who would not make a public announcement himself: “Good morning. Tomorrow, Saturday, the prisoners’ salaries will be paid at the post office after 10:00 AM. Employees of the Prisoners’ Affairs Authority will also be on duty to facilitate the distribution of salaries. Have a blessed Friday.”
2:35 PM: A second report quoting an official in the PA-funded Prisoners’ Club is issued: “Salaries of families of Martyrs, injured, and prisoners will be paid tomorrow Saturday in the post offices.”
Sat Oct. 25
8:12 AM: First reports that salaries are paid. “The salaries of the prisoners, the wounded, and the Martyrs have arrived at the post office” [Qabatiya Around the Clock, Telegram channel, Oct. 25, 2025].
During the day, all salaries are paid as usual in all the post offices. Families report that they were paid 50% of full salary, just like the employees.
PMW comment
The remaining 50% is not canceled but is owed. The PA has pledged that when it has enough money, it will pay back all employees and terrorist prisoners. The monthly PA pay slips include a column showing the amount owed to the employee.
The Palestinian Authority could not publicly announce that it was paying the salaries, since it had already deceived donor countries by claiming on September 1, 2025, that the program had officially ended.
On September 25, 2025, the French Foreign Ministry announced that it believed the PA’s claim: “We welcome the reforms already underway by the PA, including: The abrogation of the prisoners’ payment system, that is now effective.” [emphasis added]
The PA’s silence may also have been an attempt to trigger anti-PA demonstrations so they could claim to the donors that they stopped the program.
The EU, on June 23, 2025, pledged €150 million to the PA to help it pay salaries.
€150 million have been allocated to support the Palestinian Authority in ensuring the delivery of key public services, including the payment of salaries of teachers, civil servants, and healthcare workers. The financial support is linked to the implementation of the reform agenda.
[EU Commission for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf]
Given the fungible nature of funding to the PA, when that pledge is paid by the EU, the PA will simply use it to pay the EU-acceptable salaries and will then have enough non-EU money left to pay terrorists their backpay.
If the EU wants to stop being a terror facilitator, Palestinian Media Watch urges the EU to suspend the transfer of all payments until the PA stops funding terror.
The PA pays terrorists more than $30 million/month based on its last published budget, which was before the Gaza War. Since then, the number of terrorist prisoners has more than doubled from 4,500 to 9,100, and there are thousands of new families of terrorist “Martyrs.”
The PA is waiting anxiously for that European money to cover its EU-acceptable expenses, so it has enough money to pay these terror rewards as soon as possible. The EU, which has staked its diplomatic reputation on the PA’s fraudulent claims of ending Pay-for-Slay, must now stand firm as long as the PA continues rewarding terrorists.
The author is the Founder and Director of Palestinian Media Watch, where a version of this article first appeared.
Uncategorized
Rights Groups Say at Least 16 Dead in Iran During Week of Protests
People walk past closed shops following protests over a plunge in the currency’s value, in the Tehran Grand Bazaar in Tehran, Iran, December 30, 2025. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
At least 16 people have been killed during a week of unrest in Iran, rights groups said on Sunday, as protests over soaring inflation spread across the country, sparking violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
Deaths and arrests have been reported through the week both by state media and rights groups, though the figures differ. Reuters has not been able to independently verify the numbers.
The protests are the biggest in three years. Senior figures have struck a softer tone than in some previous bouts of unrest, at a moment of vulnerability for the Islamic Republic with the economy in tatters and international pressure building.
SUPREME LEADER SAYS IRAN WILL NOT YIELD TO ENEMY
President Masoud Pezeshkian told the Interior Ministry to take a “kind and responsible” approach toward protesters, according to remarks published by state media, saying “society cannot be convinced or calmed by forceful approaches.”
That language is the most conciliatory yet adopted by Iranian authorities, who have this week acknowledged economic pain and promised dialogue even as security forces cracked down on public dissent in the streets.
US President Donald Trump has threatened to come to the protesters’ aid if they face violence, saying on Friday “we are locked and loaded and ready to go,” without specifying what actions he was considering.
That warning prompted threats of retaliation against US forces in the region from senior Iranian officials. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran “will not yield to the enemy.”
Kurdish rights group Hengaw reported that at least 17 people had been killed since the start of the protests. HRANA, a network of rights activists, said at least 16 people had been killed and 582 arrested.
Iran’s police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan told state media that security forces had been targeting protest leaders for arrest over the previous two days, saying “a big number of leaders on the virtual space have been detained.”
Police said 40 people had been arrested in the capital Tehran alone over what they called “fake posts” on protests aimed at disturbing public opinion.
The most intense clashes have been reported in western parts of Iran but there have also been protests and clashes between demonstrators and police in Tehran, in central areas, and in the southern Baluchistan province.
Late on Saturday, the governor of Qom, the conservative centre of Iran’s Shi’ite Muslim clerical establishment, said two people had been killed there in unrest, adding that one of them had died when an explosive device he made blew up prematurely.
HRANA and the state-affiliated Tasnim news agency reported that authorities had detained the administrator of online accounts urging protests.
CURRENCY LOST AROUND HALF ITS VALUE
Protests began a week ago among bazaar traders and shopkeepers before spreading to university students and then provincial cities, where some protesters have been chanting against Iran’s clerical rulers.
Iran has faced inflation above 36 percent since the start of its year in March and the rial currency has lost around half its value against the dollar, causing hardship for many people.
International sanctions over Iran’s nuclear program have been reimposed, the government has struggled to provide water and electricity across the country through the year, and global financial bodies predict a recession in 2026.
Khamenei said on Saturday that although authorities would talk to protesters, “rioters should be put in their place.”
Speaking on Sunday, Vice President Mohammadreza Aref said the government acknowledged the country faced shortcomings while warning that some people were seeking to exploit the protests.
“We expect the youth not to fall into the trap of the enemies,” Aref said in comments carried by state media.
Uncategorized
Antisemitic Graffiti Painted on the Facade of Canada Synagogue
Antisemitic graffiti on a synagogue in Winnipeg, Canada. Photo: CIJA, via i24.
i24 News – The Winnipeg police in central Canada have opened a hate crime investigation after the discovery of swastikas and antisemitic messages spray-painted on the exterior of the Shaarey Zedek synagogue, one of the city’s main Jewish congregations. The graffiti is believed to have been done during the night from Saturday to Sunday.
The acts of vandalism were discovered early in the morning. Several hateful symbols were visible on exterior parts of the building. No injuries were reported. Officers went to the scene to assess the damage and secure the premises. The police are currently reviewing surveillance footage from the area and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
The incident has drawn strong condemnation from national and local Jewish organizations. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) denounced these acts, stressing that the desecration of Jewish institutions with Nazi symbols requires a firm response from municipal and police authorities.
The Jewish Federation of Winnipeg has also condemned what it calls “pure hatred,” warning that the repeated targeting of Jewish institutions poses a serious threat to the community’s safety. It has once again encouraged citizens to promptly report any hate-related incident to enable investigators to gather the necessary evidence.
These graffiti have appeared in a context of rising antisemitic incidents across the country. Community organizations note that synagogues, schools, and Jewish centers are increasingly being targeted, particularly during times of international tension, even when they have no direct connection to those events.
Uncategorized
Oil Prices Likely to Move Higher on Venezuelan Turmoil, Ample Supply to Cap Gains
FILE PHOTO: The Guinea-flagged oil tanker MT Bandra, which is under sanctions, is partially seen alongside another vessel at El Palito terminal, near Puerto Cabello, Venezuela December 29, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Juan Carlos Hernandez/File Photo
Oil prices are likely to move higher when benchmark futures resume trading later on Sunday on concern that supply may be disrupted after the United States snatched Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from Caracas at the weekend and President Donald Trump said Washington would take control of the oil-producing nation.
There is plentiful oil supply in global markets, meaning any further disruption to Venezuela’s exports would have little immediate impact on prices, analysts said.
The US strike on Venezuela to extract the country’s president inflicted no damage on the country’s oil production and refining industry, two sources with knowledge of operations at state oil company PDVSA said at the weekend.
Since Trump imposed a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuelan waters and seized two cargoes last month, exports have fallen and have been completely paralysed since January 1.
That has left millions of barrels stuck on loaded tankers in Venezuelan waters and led to millions more barrels going into Venezuelan oil storage.
The OPEC member’s exports fell to around 500,000 barrels per day in December, around half of what they were in November. Most of the December exports took place before the embargo. Since then, only exports from Chevron of around 100,000 bpd have continued to leave Venezuela. The global oil major has US authorization to produce and export from Venezuela despite sanctions.
The embargo prompted PDVSA to begin cutting oil output, three sources close to the decision said on Sunday, because Venezuela is running out of storage capacity for the oil that it cannot export. PDVSA has asked some of the joint ventures that are operating in the country to cut back production, the sources said. They would need to shut down oilfields or well clusters.
Trump said on Saturday that the oil embargo on Venezuelan exports remained in full effect. If the US government loosens the embargo and allows more Venezuelan crude exports to the US Gulf, there are refiners there that previously processed the country’s oil.
The weekend’s events were unlikely to materially alter global oil markets or the global economy given the US strikes avoided Venezuela’s oil infrastructure, said Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics.
“In any case, any short-term disruption to Venezuelan output can easily be offset by increased production elsewhere. And any medium-term recovery in Venezuelan supply would be dwarfed by shifts among the major producers,” he said in a note.
Trump also threatened on Friday to intervene in a crackdown on protests in Iran, another OPEC producer, ratcheting up geopolitical tensions. Trump on Friday said “we are locked and loaded and ready to go,” without specifying what actions he was considering against Tehran, which has seen a week of unrest as protests over soaring inflation spread across the country.
“Prices may see modest upside on heightened geopolitical tensions and disruption risks linked to Venezuela and Iran, but ample global supply should continue to cap those risks for now,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodities research at Saxo Bank.
On Sunday, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and their allies agreed to maintain steady oil output in the first quarter, OPEC+ said in a statement. Both Venezuela and Iran are members of OPEC. Several other members of OPEC+ are also embroiled in conflict and political crises.
The producer group has put increases in production on pause for the first quarter after raising output targets by around 2.9 million barrels per day from April to December 2025, equal to almost 3% of world oil demand.
Brent and US crude futures settled lower on Friday, the first day of trading of 2026, as investors weighed oversupply concerns against geopolitical risks. Both contracts closed 2025 with their biggest annual loss since 2020 marked by wars, higher tariffs, increased OPEC+ output and sanctions on Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
VENEZUELA
“The political transition in Venezuela adds another major layer of uncertainty, with elevated risks of civil unrest and near-term supply disruptions,” said Jorge Leon, head of geopolitical analysis at consultancy Rystad Energy and a former OPEC official.
“In an environment this fragile, OPEC+ is choosing caution, preserving flexibility rather than introducing new uncertainty into an already volatile market.”
Trump said on Saturday that the US would control the country until it could make an orderly transition, but an interim government led by vice president and oil minister Delcy Rodriguez remains in control of the country’s institutions, including state energy company PDVSA, with the blessing of Venezuela’s top court.
A top Venezuelan official said on Sunday that the country’s government would stay unified behind Maduro amid deep uncertainty about what is next for the Latin American country.
Trump said that American oil companies were prepared to reenter Venezuela and invest billions of dollars to restore production there.
Venezuela is unlikely to see any meaningful boost to crude output for years even if US oil majors do invest the billions of dollars in the country that Trump has promised, analysts said.
“We continue to caution market observers that it will be a long road back for the country, given its decades-long decline under the Chávez and Maduro regimes, as well as the fact that the US regime change track record is not one of unambiguous success,” Helima Croft, RBC Capital’s head of commodities research, said in a note.