T. Belman. Trump should respond by deleting another $23 million from the US contribution. He should not allow others to undo his pressure. Also he would save another 23 million. Others will also be deterred from taking up the slack. A win-win.
Move comes as UNRWA launches fundraising campaign after the Trump administration withholds $65 million
BRUSSELS — Belgium has stepped in to help out the UN Agency assisting Palestinian refugees with an immediate disbursement of $23 million after the Trump administration suspended $65 million in aid for the international organization.
Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said Wednesday that “for a lot of Palestinian refugees, the UNRWA is the last life buoy.”
De Croo said he was responding to a global fundraising appeal from UNRWA in hopes of making up for funding cuts announced by the United States. The money is Belgium’s allocation for three years but because of the group’s immediate need, De Croo’s office said it will be “disbursed immediately.”
The US provides roughly one-third of UNRWA’s budget, and the agency has warned that it now faces the “most dramatic financial crisis” in its nearly 70-year history. The agency provides health care, education and social services to 5 million Palestinians across the Middle East.
UNRWA’s secretary-general, Pierre Krähenbühl, said the fundraising appeal would begin in the coming days. The agency said it is too soon to say which countries will be approached to fill the void or what services are at risk.
On Tuesday, the US State Department announced it would withhold $65 million of the $120 million it planned to contribute to UNRWA this month, one of several payments to the agency slated for 2018.
The US notified UNRWA of the cut in a letter that also made clear that future US donations will be contingent on major changes by UNRWA.
“We would like to see some reforms be made,” said State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert, adding that changes were needed in the way the agency operates and is funded. “This is not aimed at punishing anyone.” Nauert said, adding that the US believes there needs to be more “burden-sharing,” a regular complaint by President Donald Trump about multilateral organizations dependent on significant contributions of US cash.
“We don’t believe that taking care of other nations and other people have to be solely the United States’ responsibility,” she said.
The US donated $355 million to UNWRA in 2016 and was set to make a similar contribution this year, with the first installment to have been sent this month. But after a highly critical January 2 tweet from Trump on aid to the Palestinians, the State Department opted to wait for a formal policy decision before sending its first installment.
Trump’s tweet expressed frustration over the lack of progress in his attempts to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians, and he pointed the finger at the Palestinians. “We pay the Palestinians HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect,” he said. “But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?”
US State Dept. just announced another $45 million is being stopped from payment to UNRWA.
@ Bear Klein:
C’mon Abbas. Don’t be shy. Why don’t you tell us what you really think? Here, kitty. Here, pussy, pussy, pussy.
According to Niki Haley the USA is liable to stop all funding to UNRWA as the Palestinians are hostile to the USA and are not interested in peace. In the cabinet she battles Tillerson, Mathis and McMaster who got Trump to pay half the $125 that was scheduled to UNRWA.
The more Abbas and his cronies talk the likelier USA funds will stop altogether.
Which makes Belgium, what kind of a nation?
hands, please.
Belgium didn’t actually donate additional money, according to the article. It just disbursed what it had already planned to give ove 3 years, all at once (what are they going to do, milk it for a little interest when they need a lot more than that just for operating expense?) $23 million over 3 years all at once to offset $355 million yearly, of which the first installment of $65 million has been suspended? Not impressive. Take the d (for dollars) out of the BDS and what do you get?
BS
original reports stated 23mill over 3 years = apx 7 mill per annum, is that correct or 23 mill in 1 year? would this be on an annual basis?
guess the OPEC countries have other priorities right now!
but then Belgium is more famous for its waffles, is this just another?
is this the real symbol of Belgium? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manneken_Pis
heres a history of Belgium as an occupier https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_overseas_colonies
mind you some good has come from there e. hazard and courtois