CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia said Monday that it has ended direct aid to the Palestinian Authority because Australian donations could increase the self-governing body's capacity to pay Palestinians convicted of politically motivated violence. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Australia had cut funding to the World Bank's Multi-Donor Trust Fund for the Palestinian Recovery and Development Program after writing to the Palestinian Authority in late May seeking assurance that Australian funding was not going to Palestinian criminals. "I am confident that previous Australian funding to the PA through the World Bank has been used as intended.Read more on NewsOK.com