The Associated Press reported on Monday that former President Barack Obama released $221 million in US funding to the Palestinian authority, on the morning of Friday, 20 January – Just hours before Trump took office.
The AP States:
“A State Department official and several congressional aides say the outgoing administration formally notified Congress it would spend the money Friday morning, just before Donald Trump became president.
More than $227 million in foreign affairs funding was released at the time, including $4 million for climate change programs and $1.25 million for U.N. organizations.
At least two GOP lawmakers had placed holds on the Palestinian funds. Congressional holds are generally respected by the executive branch but are not legally binding.”
During his campaign Donald Trump said that Obama “constantly applies pressure to our friends and rewards our enemies”. This move is a clear example of that.
Whilst the Palestinian Authority is said to be using the funds to help “humanitarian aid projects”, we know that is not the truth.
The Palestinian Authority is reported to provide compensation to families of terrorist prisoners and martyrs. Last year the budget for the “Care for Families of the Martyrs” was around $175 million. In addition to this, around $140 million was reported allocated for payments to prisoners and former prisoners. This means that $315 million was spent last year paying terrorists for attacking and killing Israeli civilians.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was among the first world leaders to be called after President Obama took office in January 2009.
Last month, President Obama refused to veto an anti-Israel resolution at the United Nations Security Council (Resolution 2334), which has raised concern that a peace between the Israelis and Palestinians is harder to achieve.
