Rabat – Trump’s administration is cutting more than half of the financial aid that the United States normally provides to the United Nations agency helping Palestinian refugees.
Heather Nauert, spokeswoman for the US State Department said on Tuesday that the Trump administration will provide only USD 60 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). She added that the country will withhold another USD 65 million “for future consideration,” reported American news outlet New York Times.
The official added that the US’ move is aimed at encouraging other countries to increase their funding of the UN agency. Nauert also insisted that this latest move by the administration was not linked to the threats voiced by Donald Trump after the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to condemn his recent decision to recognize Jerusalem as its capital and to relocate the US embassy.
On January 2, the US President took to his Twitter account threatening to cut US aid to Palestinians.
Trump said, “It is not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries and others, As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED of Million of Dollars a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don’t even want to negotiate” with Israel.
It’s not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don’t even want to negotiate a long overdue…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
For his part, Wassl Abu Youssef, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) denounced the US’ actions, tying it to Trump’s unprecedented decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
According to Reuters, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was not expecting any cut in aid but was “very concerned” about the possibility.
In the 2017 fiscal year, the US provided UNRWA with funding estimated at USD 335 million.
