EXCLUSIVE: Republican lawmaker files bid to stop US sending hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid to Palestinians after Hamas atrocity in Israel
- The US is currently funneling hundreds of millions in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people
- Biden-era policy is a departure from former President Trump’s withdrawal of Palestinian aid
- In exchange for aid, the Palestinian Authority should recognize Israel’s right to exist, remove and ban Hamas from government, and condemn terrorism
California GOP Rep. Michelle Steel is introducing a new bill to cut off all US aid to the Palestinian territory until the Palestinian Authority renounces Hamas and recognizes Israel.
The US is currently funneling hundreds of millions in humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people. The Biden-era policy is a departure from former President Trump’s withdrawal of Palestinian aid.
“This is common sense. “Not one American taxpayer dollar should be sent to the corrupt, murderous Palestinian Authority until we have complete confidence that it will never allow such evil to happen again,” Steel said in a statement.
In exchange for aid, the Palestinian Authority should recognize Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign Jewish state, remove and ban Hamas from any government position, and condemn terrorism.
The tank moves through the area near Kibbutz Be’eeri near the Gaza Strip on October 13, 2023 in Be’eeri, Israel. Israel has blockaded Gaza and launched airstrikes on Palestinian territory after a Hamas attack that killed hundreds and took more than 100 hostages
Palestinians seek cover during clashes with Israeli forces in the West Bank city of Nablus, October 13, 2023. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 11 people were killed in the West Bank cities on October 13
Between April 2021 and March 2022, the US provided $417 million for Palestinian refugees through the United Nations, $75 million in financial assistance through USAID, and $20.5 million in Covid and Gaza recovery assistance.
For 2022 the US planned to provide $45 million to support the “rule of law” in Gaza.
Meanwhile, a federal judge has allowed discovery to begin in a lawsuit alleging that President Biden is sending taxpayer funds to the Palestinian Territory in violation of a law that prohibits the financing of terrorist organizations.
The decision comes at the outbreak of war after Hamas launched a series of surprise attacks on Israel that have left 1,300 dead. Israel’s counter-attacks have killed around 1,500 – and the Israeli government has now ordered 1.1 million locals to evacuate northern Gaza as the conflict continues.
The US and Qatar have agreed to freeze $6 billion in Iranian assets – a reversal of earlier plans to release the money in a prisoner swap.
California GOP Rep. Michelle Steel is introducing a new bill to cut off all US aid to Palestinian territory until the Palestinian Authority renounces Hamas and recognizes Israel
Iran has denied any involvement in the attack, but the sophisticated tactics used by Hamas suggest otherwise. The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Iranian security officials helped Hamas plan the attack.
News of the planned change came hours after Joe Biden issued the first public warning to Iran since Hamas attacked Israel.
“We’ve made it clear to the Iranians: Be careful,” Biden said in a meeting with Jewish leaders at the White House on Wednesday.
Speaking in Tel Aviv on a visit to Israel, Foreign Secretary Antony Blinken defended the original prisoner swap deal that saw Iranian funds transferred from South Korea to Qatar.
He added: “None of the funds that have now gone to Qatar have been spent or accessed Iran in any way.”
(tagsTo Translate)dailymail