The Capitol Hill press conference at which the Taylor Force Act was introduced in February. Photo: Barney Breen-Portnoy.

A prominent US Jewish group expressed its backing on Tuesday of a bill that would cut off American funding of the Palestinian Authority if it continues to pay monetary rewards to terrorists and their families.

In its statement of support for the Taylor Force Act — which was introduced in February by Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Congressman Doug Lamborn of Colorado but has made no legislative progress since — the World Jewish Congress (WJC), which is led by Ronald Lauder, said, “The fact that the Palestinian Authority (PA) compensates terrorists and their families with monetary rewards for acts of violence and bloodshed cannot be tolerated by the United States, and should not be tolerated by any other member of the international community. Glorifying terrorists amongst Palestinian society by celebrating them, naming streets after them and paying them dashes any hopes for peace and only makes sure that the hatred and violence will continue. The United States must stop aid to the Palestinians so as not to support their continuing policy of terror.”

Rabbi Joel H. Meyers — chair of the WJC’s American Section — said the legislation would “condition US foreign assistance to the PA on its public condemnation of terrorism, its taking credible steps to investigate, punish and end acts of terror, and its terminating of payments to terrorists and their families.”

“Combating terrorism is not a partisan issue,” Meyers continued. “We hope all the senators and representatives will support and pass the Taylor Force Act.”

Last month, as reported by The Algemeiner, former top Israeli diplomatic official Dore Gold urged his country’s government to make its position on the Taylor Force Act clear.

While President Donald Trump has never publicly mentioned the Taylor Force Act itself, he did raise the issue of terror payments with PA President Mahmoud Abbas during their recent meetings.