Trump’s COVID-19 aid for Palestinians, Yemenis falls short of Congress’ directives

The Donald Trump administration is touting a small amount of COVID-19 assistance for both Palestinians and Yemenis as part of a major increase in coronavirus aid for several Middle Eastern countries. There’s just one problem — the aid for Palestine and Yemen falls short of the funding Congress actually appropriated for fiscal year 2020.

The State Department on Thursday announced $5 million in new coronavirus aid for the West Bank and Gaza as well as another $500,000 for Yemen as part of a $508 million emergency package. But that aid comprises only 7% of the Palestinian economic and humanitarian assistance and 1% of the Yemeni stabilization assistance that Congress has appropriated for fiscal year 2020.

“I’m very pleased the USA is providing [$5 million] for Palestinian hospitals and households to meet immediate, life-saving needs in combating COVID-19,” tweeted US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman. “The USA, as the world’s top humanitarian aid donor, is committed to assisting the Palestinian people [and] others worldwide in this crisis.”

Congress appropriated $75 million in Palestinian economic and humanitarian assistance for this fiscal year while severely limiting the Trump administration’s ability to reprogram foreign aid funding. The Trump administration first eliminated $215 million in Palestinian economic aid in 2018 by reprogramming it elsewhere without congressional authorization — a policy championed by Friedman.