The U.S. Agency for International Development, an independent federal agency, announced last week that it is giving another $230 million in aid to the Palestinian people, after having said over the summer that it was giving $190 million to the Palestinians.
JNS sought comment from USAID, which first posted the news last week but dated the release Nov. 17. USAID initially indicated that it would return a call from JNS on Friday but did not do so. It now dates its release Nov. 15.
“A significant chunk of this money, indirectly if not directly, funds Hamas,” wrote Michael Doran, a senior fellow and director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East.
USAID states that the new funding will “support economic recovery and development programs in the West Bank and Gaza.” (The Biden administration and some others refer to Judea and Samaria as the “West Bank.”)
“This significant investment highlights USAID’s commitment to improving the lives of individuals and communities in the region amidst challenging conditions,” the agency stated. It noted that it has “invested” more than $600 million “in economic support funding of the Palestinian people, in addition to the over $2.1 billion in humanitarian assistance since Oct. 7, 2023.”
“Our commitment to the Palestinian people remains steadfast,” stated Amy Tohill-Stull, the West Bank and Gaza mission director at USAID. “This funding demonstrates our resolve to support sustainable development and provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all Palestinians and further reduce the influence of Hamas.”
The funding “aims to promote resilience among Palestinian communities, and will support a range of programmatic areas, including private sector and civil society strengthening, youth empowerment and education and community level priorities,” USAID said. “New initiatives focus on health recovery efforts in Gaza, trade and investment, improvements in water and wastewater access and management, construction of new youth centers and safe spaces, capacity building support for the East Jerusalem Hospital Network and strengthening of municipalities to deliver more effective, accountable governance.”
It added that it “reaffirms its long-standing partnership with the Palestinian people and its dedication to providing essential support during these trying times” and “remains committed to a peaceful and prosperous future for all in the region.”
