PLO director of Prisoners’ Affairs urges PA to pay grants to released prisoners and announces that Abbas issued order to pay them
Headline: "Karake demands that the government pay the accumulated release grants to released prisoners"
"Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Karake reiterated his demand that the government and treasury pay the release grants of thousands of released prisoners, who have been released in recent years, and were not paid these grants as determined by law… He said that it is important that every prisoner who is released receive aid, however minimal, in order to begin his life after his stay in prison, and because it is the law. However, unfortunately, these grants have accumulated over the years, and reached more than 6 million dollars, which has created a serious crisis and raised doubts among the released [prisoners]. Likewise, Karake said that President Mahmoud Abbas issued orders to pay these grants and set a timetable for them, according to financial abilities, because every prisoner needs money after being released. Karake noted that many of the released served more than 10 years, some of them need treatment, and others wish to marry, and they urgently need the grants. Karake clarified that among the released there is an atmosphere of bitterness and stress, and that the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs has turned to all relevant bodies in order to speed up their payment, but has received no response."
"Director of PLO Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs Issa Karake reiterated his demand that the government and treasury pay the release grants of thousands of released prisoners, who have been released in recent years, and were not paid these grants as determined by law… He said that it is important that every prisoner who is released receive aid, however minimal, in order to begin his life after his stay in prison, and because it is the law. However, unfortunately, these grants have accumulated over the years, and reached more than 6 million dollars, which has created a serious crisis and raised doubts among the released [prisoners]. Likewise, Karake said that President Mahmoud Abbas issued orders to pay these grants and set a timetable for them, according to financial abilities, because every prisoner needs money after being released. Karake noted that many of the released served more than 10 years, some of them need treatment, and others wish to marry, and they urgently need the grants. Karake clarified that among the released there is an atmosphere of bitterness and stress, and that the [PLO] Commission of Prisoners’ Affairs has turned to all relevant bodies in order to speed up their payment, but has received no response."