House Democrats revive bid to fully restore Palestinian aid

The Democratic-held House is launching another bid to increase Palestinian economic aid while facilitating people-to-people programs with Israel.

Bryant Harris
Bryant Harris
Jul 7, 2020
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 28: Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY) speaks about the things she witnessed on a trip to Israel and Auschwitz-Birkenau as part of a bipartisan delegation from the House of Representatives on January 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. The 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau is being remembered this week around the world. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Nita Lowey
US Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., speaks on Jan. 28, 2020, in Washington about her trip to Israel and to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland as part of a bipartisan delegation from the House of Representatives. — Samuel Corum/Getty Images

The Democratic-held House is once again attempting to restore economic and humanitarian aid for the Palestinians to levels that slightly exceed the $215 million in assistance the United States provided before President Donald Trump eliminated it.

The House’s foreign aid panel on Monday unanimously advanced its spending bill, which includes $225 million in economic aid for the West Bank and Gaza, setting the stage for a full Appropriations Committee vote later this week.

Ahead of the vote, Appropriations Chairwoman Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., touted the fact that the bill “seeks to restore humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestinians to continue the viability of a two-state solution by providing resources to organizations working in the West Bank and Gaza.”

Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Ky., the top Republican on the foreign aid panel, thanked Lowey for “including $3.3 billion in foreign military financing for our great ally Israel and for your steadfast support for their security.”

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