Adv. Maurice Hirsch told Arutz Sheva that the High Court’s decision to allow Red Cross visits to Palestinian security prisoners imprisoned in Israel effectively opens a funding channel for the terrorists imprisoned since the October 7 massacre, including the Nukhba terrorists.

Lt. Col. Hirsch is the Director of the Initiative for Palestinian Authority Accountability and Reform in the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs and a Senior Legal Analyst at Human Rights Voices. He served for 19 years in the IDF Military Advocate General Corps, and in his most recent position, served as the head of the Military Prosecution in Yehuda and Shomron.

Hirsch explained that a key component of the PA’s prisoner payment system requires incarcerated terrorists to designate a representative who can receive the funds on their behalf while they are in prison.

“To activate the process, the prisoner must sign a power of attorney authorizing someone else to collect the money,” Hirsch explained.

“And that’s what the Red Cross representatives do when they meet the terrorists during prison visits and have them sign the necessary PA documents. This enables the transfer of PA payments to terrorists,” he said.

Hirsch added that the Red Cross is aware of the role it plays in the process.

“I raised this issue with them years ago, but they told me it was not their concern,” he said. “They have continued doing it because Israel has never objected.”

He added that most terrorists imprisoned since the October 7 massacre have not yet received the funds allocated to them by the PA because the required paperwork could not be completed in the absence of Red Cross visits.

Hirsch sharply criticized Israeli authorities for failing to address the issue.

“There has been virtually no attention to this matter from the relevant authorities in Israel,” he said. “I have correspondence from the Red Cross acknowledging that the services it provides to prisoners are voluntary and that Israel is under no obligation to approve them.”

He said he first alerted government officials to the issue seven years ago, but no action was taken.

“The system is clearly laid out in Palestinian Authority laws and regulations,” Hirsch explained. “There is a defined bureaucratic process that families must complete, but because the money belongs to the prisoner, he must personally designate who will receive it. Until that happens, the funds remain with the PA and are not transferred.”

While criticizing the Court’s ruling, Hirsch asserted that the primary responsibility lies with the Israeli government.

“My criticism of the court is severe, but the main responsibility lies with the Foreign Ministry, the National Security Ministry, and the Prime Minister’s Office,” he said. “They could have made it clear that they oppose the Red Cross carrying out these activities, but no one has taken up the issue. There has been a complete failure by government officials to act.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)