The Taylor Force Act was named after Taylor Force, a U.S army veteran who was visiting Israel when he was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in 2016. The Palestinian Authority rewarded the family of the terrorist, who had been killed on the spot, a generous monthly stipend. This was part of its “Pay-For-Slay” program. In response to this PA policy of rewarding imprisoned terrorists and the families of dead terrorists, Congress passed the Taylor Force Act, that required the American government to withhold aid from the PA as long as its “Pay-For-Slay” program continued.
President Trump did as required by Taylor Force, cutting off all aid to the Palestinian Authority. But the Bidenites flouted the act, reinstating the aid, even though Mahmoud Abbas continued his “Pay-For-Slay” policy without letup. Now an action has been filed to make Biden and Blinken respect the Taylor Force Act, and end aid to the PA. More on this new effort to get Biden to enforce the law can be found here: “Federal court allows action to enforce the Taylor Force Act,” by Leonard Grunstein, JNS, July 5, 2024:
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Stuart and Robbi Force (the parents of Taylor Force), and Sarri Singer (as plaintiffs) filed an action in December 2022 against U.S. President Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Blinken (as defendants) seeking to enforce the Taylor Force Act (22 USC 2378c-1).
The act was named in memory of Taylor Force, 28, a U.S. military veteran who was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in Tel Aviv in 2016 while on visiting Israel as a graduate student. The Palestinian Authority awarded the terrorist’s family a stipend for his homicidal efforts, under its “pay for slay” program. Singer is an American survivor of a suicide bombing by a Palestinian terrorist of a Jerusalem bus that killed 17 people. The P.A. also makes payments to that terrorist’s family.
The act requires cutting of funding available for assistance for the West Bank and Gaza (outside of three very limited humanitarian exceptions not here at issue) directly benefiting the P.A., as long as it continues the despicable “pay for slay” system. Pursuant to the act, the Trump administration did, in fact, cut aid payments.
Shockingly, the Biden administration restored and even increased funding, in flagrant violation of the act. Under the act, such funding is illegal unless the secretary of state certifies in writing to the appropriate congressional committees that, among other things, the P.A., PLO and any successor or affiliated organizations are taking credible steps to end acts of violence against U.S. and Israeli citizens; have terminated terror payments; and have revoked or invalidated any law or decree providing for the same. However, the secretary was unable so to certify because it would have been flatly untrue.
The Biden administration responded to the action by moving to dismiss the complaint—arguing, among other things, that plaintiffs had no standing to bring the case. While the court dismissed a part of the complaint, it preserved the basic claim, ruling:
(1) Defendants plausibly violated statutory authority; and
(2) Plaintiffs had standing to challenge those alleged violations because they faced an increased risk of harm in traveling to Israel-harm that was “reasonably tied to Defendants and redressable by the relief sought.”…
Then Oct. 7 occurred, when Hamas committed murders, rapes, kidnappings and atrocities against Americans, Israelis and others, including reportedly murdering 45 Americans and kidnapping 12 Americans (with eight still being held hostage in Gaza, of which only five are said to be alive). Once again, the P.A. rewarded the perpetrators with “pay for slay” payments.
In light of the foregoing, plaintiffs sought and were granted leave to amend their complaint in March. The amended complaint references the terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7 and added claims dealing with payments to UNRWA, which had employees who participated in the massacre, and the diversion of funding to Hamas, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization….
Since UNRWA had been found deeply implicated in the October 7 attacks, with dozens of its employees joining in the attacks, and UNRWA schools and other facilities in Gaza have been used by Hamas to hide men, weapons, and rocket launchers, it was right to seek, invoking the Taylor Force Act, an end of American aid to UNRWA, as a supporter and promoter of terrorism, akin to the support given by the PA to terrorists with its “Pay-For-Slay” program.
Not only have the Bidenites been flouting Taylor Force by continuing to fund the PA, they have even had the gall to increase funding to the PA, which blithely continues with “Pay-For-Slay,” secure in the belief that the Bidenites will never enforce it. With this new action, perhaps the administration will change its mind. It must be worried that its failure to follow Taylor Force will be made a campaign issue. How does Biden defend against the charge that his administration is flouting the law, and instead is rewarding those — the PA — who reward terrorist murderers?
Astoundingly, the amended complaint mentions that the State Department has acknowledged in a non-public report to Congress that the P.A. had not ended the “pay for slay” program and that it could not therefore certify compliance with the act. Nevertheless, this did not result in a suspension of further aid payments, as required….
Not only could the State Department not assure Congress that the PA had ended its “Pay-For-Slay” program, but it knew to a certainty that the PA had not done so. After all, Mahmoud Abbas continues to proclaim that no matter what pressures are applied by the Americans, “with my last penny” he promises to continue to fund the program to support “martyrs” (dead terrorists) and their families.
The Executive Branch has not tried to persuade Congress to do away with the Taylor Force Act, likely because it knows that Taylor Force has overwhelming support in the legislative branch; instead, it is simply avoiding compliance with the law. This dismissive overreach by the scofflaws in the Biden White House is a threat to our constitutional order.
The outrageous behavior of the Bidenites, in failing to enforce the Taylor Force Act, should be made a campaign issue. It’s a simple matter, easily understood by the public. To wit: Congress passed a law, the Taylor Force Act, to discourage Palestinian financial support for terrorists. The method was simple: No American aid would be given to the PA as long as “Pay-For-Slay” continued. Under Trump, Taylor Force was observed; under Biden it has simply been ignored. “Pay-For-Slay” by the PA is continuing, but the Bidenites, instead of ending American aid as required by law, have chosen to increase it. In flouting Taylor Force, they have become supporters of terrorism.
Walter Sieruk says
Once again , that picture of those two despicable characters joining their hands together in some type of demonic scheme is a blatant reminder that the Bible informs its reader “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished.” Proverbs 11:21. [K.J.V.]
Wellington says
Not surprised in the least.
Walter Sieruk says
All the insidious evil schemes that Joe Biden and his comrade Mahmoud Abbas have planned against the State of Israel and her people are fated to fail in the end because they are against Israel which is a nation that God very greatly loves and even views as His “treasure.” Psalm 135:4. [K.J.V.}
James Lincoln says
The illegitimate Biden regime is completely lawless.
Wellington says
Agreed, James. Biden has been a disaster to America in many ways but the use of the law to pervert the law is arguably Biden’s greatest transgression.
God, what a monumental devastation Biden himself alone (never mind his handlers, including the ultimate elder abuser, his own wife) has been to the USA. He’s done so much harm in so many ways to America and I challenge anyone to effectively dispute this contention of mine.
Let’s Go Brandon. FJB.
somehistory says
Laws are written and passed in order to prevent criminals from committing crimes and punishing those who do.
Some few people will obey unwritten laws, even when no authority is seen to be present.
The criminal minds will commit the crimes when they feel they can escape the punishment. biden and blinken and the rest of their corrupt gang don’t see any punishment coming their way.
And they’ll still want to prosecute those who want the laws of the Constitution and the Congress followed, anyone daring to speak against the corruption.
the Time for reaping is growing ever closer.
OLD GUY says
I’ve lived through a lot of Presidents and Biden is the first one that I can honestly say I have NO respect for. He has no moral compass or respect for country or law. Not even sure he’s the one in charge of the Presidency.
somehistory says
I have none for carter, clinton nor bo. It’s difficult to have respect for people in any job who believe they are better than the people who pay them, directly or indirectly.
And when they break the laws, knowingly, yet hold the rest of us accountable to even the minor things, they don’t deserve any respect.