The governing body of the Palestinian territories has authorized a plan to encourage terrorism by making routine payments to the families of suicide bombers.

Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas recently signed the new law:

Under the new law, the terrorist’s family will be paid a base sum of $250 per month. The law takes into account extended family arrangements commonplace in Arab societies. The families of married terrorists are entitled to an additional $50 per month, and $15 are added for each child, $25 for each parent, and $15 for each brother who lived with the terrorist prior to his death.

The monies, to be paid out of the general budget of the Palestinian Authority, are significant sums for average Arab families living in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza.

No word yet on when the Palestinian Authority plans of make similar payments to the families of victims of those suicide bombers.

This scheme reminds me of Saddam Hussein’s old policy of making lump-sum payments of $25,000 to the families of suicide bombers who strike outside Iraq. Of course, as we all know now, Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with terrorism.

The article also notes that “[t]he budget of the Palestinian Authority is largely subsidized by grants from European nations and the United States.” So, in effect, American and European taxpayers are rewarding terrorism by ensuring that the families of suicide bombers are well taken care of. Yet another example of government money well-spent!