Reversing Trump, Biden to Reinstate Development and Humanitarian Assistance to Palestine
The Biden administration has announced that it will reinstate aid to the Palestinians that had been cut off by former President Donald Trump. The US will provide $235 million in aid and restart funding for the United Nations agency supporting Palestinian refugees. Trump had withheld the aid hoping to force the Palestinians into accepting a very one-sided peace agreement with Israel.
BBC: "Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US plans included $75m in economic and development assistance in the West Bank and Gaza, $10m for peacebuilding programmes through the US Agency for International Development (USAid), and $150m in humanitarian assistance for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa)."
Israel immediately criticized the decision, but the United Nations and Palestinian leaders hailed Biden's commitment to restart humanitarian and development assistance to the millions of Palestinians who have suffered from the reduction in aid during the Covid pandemic that has devastated their economy.
Reuters: "UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told Reuters the new funding was “extremely welcome” but said the agency was “not yet out of the woods” at a time of increased refugee needs exacerbated by COVID-19 and the crisis in Lebanon."
The US funding comes in addition to $15m in assistance to address the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic that the Biden administration announced last month.
By: Don Lam & Curated Content
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