Trump blocks payment to Palestinian Authority authorized hours before inauguration.

The Trump Administration has reportedly blocked the transfer of $221 million to the Palestinian Authorities, which was authorized during the exiting administration’s last hours. A written notification dated January 20th sent to Congress three hours before the swearing in of the new President specified that $221 million was to be sent to the Palestinian Authorities by the US State Department. The notice was signed by the then exiting Secretary of State, John Kerry. Kerry had notified Congress that funds would be released Friday morning, just hours before President Donald Trump took the oath of office.

The funds would come from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), to be used for humanitarian aid in the West Bank and Gaza, and to support political and security reforms for a future Palestinian state. Congress had initially approved the Palestinian funding in budget years 2015 and 2016.

In addition to the $221 million, the notice specified it would release an additional $6 million in foreign affairs expenditures. Of the 6 million, $4 million would go towards climate change programs and $1.25 million would go towards the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund. Additional funds will be going towards diplomatic operations in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The dispatching of $221 million was in defiance of certain Republican members of Congress who had been blocking such an action for months.

US aid to Palestine totaled $557 million from all US government agencies in 2015.

MIDDLE EAST BUREAU, LIMA CHARLIE NEWS