Following a donor meeting for the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Brussels on Monday, Israel urged the German government to take action against the continued payment of what are termed “martyr pensions.” German politicians and officials confirmed to “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (RND) that an Israeli delegation had recently presented them with intelligence findings in Berlin. These findings allege that the PA continues to provide these financial subsidies to attackers and their families.
Johannes Volkmann, a CDU foreign policy expert, described the evidence as “credibly and very concrete.” When contacted, the German Federal Foreign Office acknowledged receiving the concerns and stated that they were being taken “very seriously.” The office confirmed it is engaged in continuous dialogue with the Palestinian side, holding intensive discussions with the PA regarding comprehensive reforms, specifically targeting the payments made to martyrs and prisoners. The results of an EU review of the PA’s progress on these reforms are expected later this year.
Volkmann noted that Israel informed Germany that the PA claims to have established an alternative system for distributing these martyr pensions. The evidence presented reportedly included details on bank transactions and cash withdrawals, as well as the PA’s systemic practice of temporarily employing and encouraging early retirement among convicted terrorists. Volkmann concluded that this suggests a “credible suspicion” that the donor community must investigate urgently and take consequences if the allegations are proven true.
Germany is one of the largest contributors to the PA, both directly and indirectly through multilateral channels like the EU and the United Nations. Volkmann emphasized that while much of this support flows through these international mechanisms, Germany, as part of the donor community, has a special duty of care. He asserted that the cessation of payments to terrorists and their relatives must be a fundamental prerequisite for any continued support financed by German taxpayers.
Members of the official Israeli delegation, speaking to the RND, referenced their evidence of the alleged established alternative system. One delegation member stated that through the use of various intelligence sources and a massive, cross-agency effort in Berlin, they managed to uncover numerous new, secretive methods the PA uses to support terrorists and their families. These intelligence services have documented payments amounting to at least 140 million euros annually, representing roughly one-third to one-half of the EU’s annual allocation to the PA. They warned that the intelligence findings indicate the PA is attempting a deception, suggesting that a conventional financial audit would hardly reveal the full scope of the activity.
