The Biden administration quietly approved over $3 million in taxpayer funds for the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) just weeks before leaving office, according to a nonpublic notice to Congress reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon. The funding, which was part of a larger $20 million regional security package, was allocated on January 3, with funds designated for firearms and ammunition training.
This revelation comes amid growing concerns in both Israel and Washington over the PASF’s longstanding ties to terrorism. A Palestinian Media Watch investigation found that PASF members carried out more than 1,500 attacks on Israelis in 2023 alone. Additionally, the report revealed that more than 60% of those killed in the West Bank were tied to the Palestinian Fatah movement, which backs the PASF. Nearly 400 convicted terrorists currently imprisoned are known to be PASF members.
Despite these alarming connections, the PASF is now seeking an additional $680 million from the U.S. over the next four years, a move that is sure to spark further controversy. Critics argue that American tax dollars should not be funding forces with a track record of violence, while supporters claim that strengthening regional security is crucial for stability.
As scrutiny over this spending grows, questions remain about whether future U.S. aid will continue to flow to the PASF and other Palestinian security operations, even as evidence mounts linking them to acts of terrorism against Israel.