U.S. restores assistance for Palestinians, to provide $235 million in aid
The package, including humanitarian, economic and security aid, is expected to be announced by the State Department later on Wednesday as part of an effort to repair U.S. ties with the Palestinians that all but collapsed during Trump’s tenure.
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Matt Spetalnick and Stephen Farrell / Reuters | 10:15 am, Apr. 7, 2021 ×
U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the state of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccinations from the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 6, 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM, April 7 (Reuters) - The Biden administration announced on Wednesday it would provide $235 million in U.S. aid to the Palestinians, restarting funding for the United Nations agency supporting refugees and restoring other assistance cut off by then-President Donald Trump.
Wednesday, 7 April, 2021 - 17:15
In this March 31, 2020 file photo, Palestinian workers load food supplies distributed by UNRWA at the Sheikh Redwan neighborhood of Gaza City. (AP) Asharq Al-Awsat
The Biden administration plans to provide at least $235 million in US aid to the Palestinians, restoring a large part of the assistance that was cut off by then-President Donald Trump, people familiar with the matter said, according to Reuters.
The package, including humanitarian, economic and security aid, is expected to be announced by the State Department later on Wednesday as part of an effort to repair US ties with the Palestinians that all but collapsed during Trump’s tenure.
WASHINGTON: The Biden administration announced on Wednesday it would provide $235 million in US aid to the Palestinians, restarting funding for the United Nations agency supporting refugees and restoring other assistance cut off by then-President Donald Trump.
The package, including humanitarian, economic and development assistance, was detailed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as part of an effort to repair American ties with the Palestinians that all but collapsed during Trump’s tenure.
It marked Democratic President Joe Biden’s most significant move since taking office on Jan. 20 to make good on his promise to roll back some components of his Republican predecessor’s approach that Palestinians denounced as heavily biased in favor of Israel.
U.S. to restore more than $200 million in aid to Palestinians
Based on notice emailed by the administration to congressional offices, Biden s aid package calls for $150 million through refugee agency UNWRA, $75 million in U.S. economic support and $10 million in development funding
Reuters |
Published: 04.07.21 , 19:47
The Biden administration plans to provide at least $235 million in U.S. aid to the Palestinians, restoring a large part of the assistance that was cut off by then-President Donald Trump, people familiar with the matter said.
The package, including humanitarian, economic and security aid, is expected to be announced by the State Department later on Wednesday as part of an effort to repair U.S. ties with the Palestinians that all but collapsed during Trumps tenure.
Biden’s aides have also made clear they want to re-establish the goal of a negotiated two-state solution as a priority in U.S. policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
But they have moved cautiously so far, and any major steps are likely to wait following Israel’s inconclusive March election, which will be followed by Palestinian elections scheduled in coming months.
The Trump administration blocked nearly all aid since it severed ties with the Palestinian Authority in 2018. The move was widely seen as an attempt to force the Palestinians to negotiate with Israel on terms the Palestinian leadership branded as an effort to deny them a viable state.