USA slashes aid for Palestinian refugees

A Palestinian man walks past a logo of United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Jalazone refugee camp near the West Bank city of Ramallah Jan. 3 2018

A Palestinian man walks past a logo of United Nations Relief and Works Agency in Jalazone refugee camp near the West Bank city of Ramallah Jan. 3 2018

Relief has come the way of refugees in want after Belgium pledged to donate 19million euro ($23m) to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, or UNRWA.

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Wednesday that "for a lot of Palestinian refugees, the UNRWA is the last life buoy".

She repeated the USA view that UNRWA needs reform, saying there are a lot more refugees in the program than previously, and that "money coming in from other countries needs to increase as well to continue paying for all those refugees".

"The Forum's contribution requires UNRWA to end the automatic registering in perpetuity of (1) the descendants of refugees, (2) those who hold a nationality, and (3) those who live in their purported homeland, the West Bank and Gaza". Among the group's projects are helping half a million children get an education and fending off attempts to radicalize them.

Earlier this week, the State Department announced that it was withholding Dollars 65 million out of a Dollars 125 million aid package earmarked for the UNRWA.

Woman dies, 2 officers injured in Bartlesville officer-involved shooting
Police said officers heard shots while taking Livingston into custody and two officers were hit with a projectile. Emergency responders transported Townsend and one officer she shot to a local hospital.

Cavs salvage win over Magic after blowing 23-point lead
After a lengthy review, the officials ruled Cleveland's Thomas was not out of bounds when they thought the ball had touched him. One of Cleveland's two wins over the past 10 games came in Orlando, but like much of this stretch, it wasn't pretty.

National Investment Services Inc. WI Reduces Position in Danaher Co. (DHR)
Private Trust Na holds 0.33% of its portfolio in Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR) for 17,906 shares. 147,112 are held by Tdam Usa. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the company.

United States contributions in 2017 were more than $350 million, making it the highest contributor to the United Nations agency.

UNRWA also warned it was undergoing the "most severe funding crisis in the history of the agency". He added that the aid will be given over the next three years.

Senior Palestinian officials reacted with outrage to what they see as another move against them by Mr. Trump's White House following his declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Few weeks ago the USA president tweeted that his government gives the Palestinians "HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect", and further suggesting that his country would cut aid to the Palestinian leadership and to United Nations agencies supporting it unless the Palestinians engage in pro-Israel peace talks backed by Washington and its oil-rich Arab states Saudi Arabia and UAE.

"We are delighted to contribute in solidarity if UNRWA takes steps to end the Palestine refugee problem".

Recommended News

We are pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news.
Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper.
Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.