SUPPORTERS OF THE Taylor Force Act argue that Palestinians carry out “acts of terror” because the Palestinian Authority promises material gains to attackers and their families. But the family of Bashar Masalha, the Palestinian who killed Taylor Force, seems to be experiencing more burden than benefit.“I told my children, we were struck by fire and we must endure the heat,” said Mohammad Masalha, Bashar’s father. “What Bashar brought upon us is a scorching fire.”

“I told my children, we were struck by fire and we must endure the heat. What Bashar brought upon us is a scorching fire.”

After Masalha’s attack in 2016, Israel demolished the family’s home. According to Mohammad Masalha, the Palestinian Authority has subjected the family to humiliation and residents of the village started distancing themselves from the family.

In 2017, the Palestinian intelligence services accused Mohammad Masalha’s eldest son, Alaa, of joining and accepting payments from Hamas. “But we haven’t taken a single shekel, not from Hamas and not from Fatah,” said Mohammad Masalha.

In January, Palestinian security forces came knocking at Alaa’s door again, accusing him of wanting to sell land to Jewish settlers, which is a criminal offense under Palestinian Authority statutes. Alaa has been in administrative detention since, held without charge.

His detention has been particularly hard on the family, said Mohammad Masalha, because Alaa was the person looking out for them since Bashar Masalha’s attack. A lawyer by trade, Alaa put a roof over their heads after Israel demolished their house.

“Instead of standing by us and supporting us, the Authority is holding us accountable,” Mohammad Masalha said. “It’s using us to make a point and say, ‘Look at how things turned out for the martyr’s family.’”