US: Palestinians will stop paying families of terrorists
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reveals at a Senate hearing that he and Trump had asked Mahmoud Abbas to stop transferring funds to families of suicide bombers. 'We have been very clear with them that this is simply not acceptable to us,' Tillerson tells the senators.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson revealed Tuesday that the Trump administration has demanded that Mahmoud Abbas stop transferring payments to families of suicide bombers.
In a hearing at the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Tillerson said he had received a report that the Palestinians "have changed that policy and their intent is to cease the payments to the families of those who have committed murder or violence against others. We have been very clear with them that this is simply not acceptable to us."
Republican Senator Jim Risch raised the issue during the hearing. Tillerson responded by saying that the issue "was discussed directly with (Palestinian) President Abbas when he made his visit to Washington."
"The president (Trump) raised it, and I had a bilateral meeting with (Abbas) later and I told him—you absolutely have to stop this," Tillerson said.