The Palestinian Finance Ministry rejected the accusation that they were increasing terrorist stipend as “absolutely false and hypocritical” and said Washington was lending financial support to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank.

“It is known to everyone that Israel’s illegal colonial settlements, funded by American taxpayer money, continue to be the obstacle to peace,” a ministry spokesman said.

PA fiscal records show no marked increase in what they refer to as “assistance for prisoners and detainees”. Monthly payments were around 42 million shekels ($11.85 million) in December 2018, decreasing to 38.4 million shekels ($10.83 million) in April 2019.

Payments spiked to 75 million shekels ($21.15 million) in May 2019, which a ministry spokesman attributed to arrears payments and a bonus for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Civil servant salaries also spiked in May. Later data was not available.

Read more at YNET.