US sends 'message' to Abbas with $80 million aid cut
The State Department has notified Congress that it's cutting FY 2015 assistance to the Palestinians by 22%.
The Obama administration is cutting aid to the Palestinians by $80 million in what congressional sources describe as a "message" to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
The State Department notified lawmakers on Sept. 25 of its intention to reduce economic aid for the West Bank and Gaza Strip from $370 million to $290 million in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, Al-Monitor has learned. The news of the 22% cut from the department's initial request comes amid mounting criticism from Congress about Palestinian "incitement" in the rash of stabbing attacks that have left at least 10 Israeli civilians dead over the past three weeks.
A State Department official told Al-Monitor that the decision to cut the aid was made in spring, before the latest outbreak of violence.
"There were several factors contributing to this decision, including unhelpful actions taken by the Palestinians and constraints on our global assistance budget," the official told Al-Monitor in an emailed statement.
