The Taylor Force Act (22 USC 2378c-1) was named in memory of Taylor Force, a U.S. veteran and graduate student who was visiting Israel and was murdered by a Palestinian terrorist. The Palestinian Authority awarded the terrorist’s family a stipend for his homicidal efforts, under its longtime “pay for slay” program.
The act requires cutting of funding available for assistance for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (outside of three very limited humanitarian exceptions) directly benefiting the P.A., so long as it continues its payment system to terrorists and their families. The statutory finding under the act makes clear that money is fungible. Thus, it declares that while the United States does not provide direct budgetary support to the P.A., it does pay certain debts and funds programs for which the P.A. would otherwise be responsible.
Under the act, such funding is illegal unless the U.S. Secretary of State certifies in writing to the appropriate congressional committees that, among other things, the P.A., PLO and any successor or affiliated organizations are taking credible steps to end acts of violence against America and Israeli citizens, have terminated “pay for slay” payments and revoked or invalidated any law or decree providing for the same.
It is reported that yet again, the secretary of state was unable to so certify. This is because the P.A. has not actually ended its despicable program. Instead, its leaders have put in place yet another ruse to mask the payments by disguising them as social welfare administered by a foundation. The payment mechanism may be different, and the name may be changed, but the effect is the same: Murderers and their families receive cold, hard cash incentives. In addition, the P.A. continues to enact laws providing financial support to terrorists.
It should also be noted that among those receiving such payments are Hamas terrorists who participated in the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which 45 Americans were murdered and 12 Americans kidnapped.
It is respectfully suggested that this is a violation of the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Law (18 USC 2339B). Furthermore, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 reaffirms the requirement of compliance with the Taylor Force Act and also flags the diversion of any funds to Hamas or other terrorist and extremist entities in the West Bank or Gaza.
Policies of appeasement and virtuous-sounding pronouncements about a desire to promote peace have proven to be ineffective in practice. By funding evil, peace is not being achieved; it is only emboldening the wrongdoers.
The secretary of state should consider designating the P.A., PLO and their associated proxies as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by reason of their failure to comply with the Taylor Force Act and active concealment of their violations. This would also permit civil forfeitures under 18 USC 981 by reason of violation of 18 USC 2339B.
At the very least, designations should be made under the OFAC sanctions program. This would permit asset freezes and enable other levers to be applied to the banking system to interrupt the flow of funds for these malign purposes.
The Anti-Terrorist Act (18 USC 2339A) prohibits, among other things, providing material support or resources (including financial support), intending or knowing that this will be used for specific terrorist acts or offenses. The term “material support and resources” includes money or property, training, expert advice, assistance, lodging, safe houses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel and transportation.
The panoply of remedies available under U.S. anti-terrorism laws includes imposing fines and penalties on the P.A.; its 90-year-old leader, Mahmoud Abbas; and others involved in promoting “pay to slay” and terrorism, as well as asset freezes and forfeitures.
The P.A.’s evasion of the Taylor Force Law is unlawful and cannot go on. The effect is odiously financing and promoting the murder of innocent Americans, Israelis and others. It’s well beyond time to sanction all those involved in supporting terrorism.
