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Abbas critic claims Abbas considering ploy to present terrorist salaries as “social aid” to comply with US demand

It should be noted that the article is written by someone close to Muhammad Dahlan, who has had a falling out with Abbas and has been thrown out of the Fatah party. The article appeared on an independent Palestinian news site critical of the Fatah leadership.

Headline: “The US-Israel war against the prisoners’ and Martyrs’ salaries has begun!”
Excerpt of an op-ed by Hassan Asfour, a former Palestinian minister and associate of Muhammad Dahlan, PA Parliament Member and former member of Fatah Central Committee
       “[PA President] Mahmoud Abbas’ staff has evaded the exposure of the political truth and the fact that American President [Donald Trump] demanded in their latest meeting in Bethlehem that he stop the prisoners’ and Martyrs’ (Shahids’) salaries (rawatib), and told him that this is a ‘significant’ issue for the American administration as part of the plan it has begun to draft. Abbas and his staff said that they cannot take this step ‘at the moment,’ as it would lead to an outbreak of uncontrollable ‘popular intifada.’
However, Abbas, despite his initial objection, has begun to examine practical options to comply with the American demand in a way that will not lead to an explosion that might lead to his downfall and the downfall of their joint plan (i.e., Abbas’ and US’). Among these options that are being examined with special secrecy, is the option of transferring the prisoners’ and Martyrs' salaries to a 'social insurance' body so that it will look as if it is 'humanitarian and social aid to needy families' and not 'monthly salaries to fighter families,' who were one of the reasons that the revolution and the PLO continued to exist and that the first Palestinian Authority in Palestinian political history was established."
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