President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesperson has said that recent US aid cuts to the West Bank and Gaza are designed to end his country’s claims to the disputed city of Jerusalem.
It comes a day after the US announced that it would end $200 million in aid to Palestinians, which Ramallah believes is an attempt to pile political pressure on the Palestinian Authority to cave-in to Israel and Washington’s demands.
#US Cuts over $200m in aid to #Gaza and West Bank https://t.co/nHkfSYCcYa @PalestineChron pic.twitter.com/iDPnqNUG9j
— Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) August 25, 2018
Abbas’ spokesperson, Nabil Abu Rdeneh, told AP that the financial pressure is politically motivated and that the US is fully aware that there can be no peace if east Jerusalem does not become the capital of a future Palestinian state.
The US sparked outrage in the occupied Palestinian territories when it broke with international diplomatic norms and moved its embassy to Jerusalem, thus backing Israel’s illegal claims to the disputed city as its capital.
#RAMALLAH #Palestinian President Mahmoud #Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh said the #US decision to cut more than $200 million in aid is meant to force the Palestinians to abandon their claim to #Jerusalem. pic.twitter.com/Pva1WiiPRd
— Children of Peace (@ChildrenofPeace) August 25, 2018
The US sent a brief three-paragraph notice first to lawmakers and then the media about its intentions to cut $200 million in desperately needed funding to the West Bank and Gaza.
It comes as the US government prepares to roll out a peace plan, which recent actions suggest will be heavily favorable to Israel.
PLO slams US aid cuts to Palestine https://t.co/Hcbm8FfYfA pic.twitter.com/iAuNoMTgtl
— KhamakarPress (@KhamakarPress) August 26, 2018
Hanan Ashrawi, Palestinian Legislative Council member, told the agency that recent US moves are tantamount to blackmail.
He said:
“Well, very clearly the US cutting of aid to Palestine is a form of cheap blackmail and it shows a certain degree of moral and political bankruptcy … It is a way in which the US is further complicit in the Israeli occupation and is further punishing the Palestinians who are under occupation and carrying out the wishes of Israel… So it is a form of political blackmail. And it is a form of implementing the Israeli plan to punish the Palestinians and to reward the occupier, Israel.”
(Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, PC, Social Media)
America should stop ALL aid to ALL countries. Stop ALL immigration, build OUR wall, and deport ALL illegals, and half of all the LEGAL immigrants. Stop White racial genocide, and keep America FOR Americans.