The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday rejected a US demand to stop payments to detainees held in or freed from Israeli jails. Israeli Channel 12 TV previously reported that the US administration asked the Palestinian Authority to stop offering welfare payments to detainees and recently released detainees and instead place the money in a “social welfare” fund. The demand was reportedly made during a series of closed meetings between US officials and President Mahmoud Abbas. In return the US promised Abbas that he could appoint a legal advisor to represent the Palestinian Liberation Organisatio…