The United States transferred $40 million in foreign assistance to the Palestinians.
The Associated Press reported Dec. 29 that congressional lawmakers released the funds, which amount to 20 percent of the $187 million in foreign assistance from fiscal year 2011 that was held up by Congress in response to the Palestinians’ actions at the United Nations.
The funds released are for humanitarian and economic purposes and not for security assistance.
The release of the 2011 funds comes after an omnibus 2012 appropriations package passed by Congress earlier in December included restrictions that would limit any assistance to the Palestinians if they continued with their efforts to achieve member status at the United Nations.
A senior Republican staffer noted that this could be a good way to test the Palestinian Authority without putting U.S. taxpayers at too much risk.
“If the Palestinians act responsibly and comply with U.S. law, they’ll get another tranche. If they don’t, especially in these times of great austerity, the American people will understand if we turn the spigot back off,” the staffer said. — jta