Palestinians: US aid cut looks to pressure Jerusalem stance

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends the meeting of the Palestinian Central Council, in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank August 15, 2018. (Reuters)
  • The Palestinians were outraged by President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
  • The Trump administration said it’s cutting bilateral aid to the Palestinians after a review of funding for projects in the West Bank and Gaza

RAMALLAH, West Bank: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ spokesman said the US decision to cut more than $200 million in aid is meant to force the Palestinians to abandon their claim to Jerusalem.
Nabil Abu Rdeneh told The Associated Press on Saturday the move is part of continuing political and financial pressure on the Palestinian leadership. He said the Americans must be fully aware that there will be no peace without east Jerusalem as capital of a Palestinian state.
The Palestinians were outraged by President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and his moving of the US embassy there.
The Trump administration said it’s cutting bilateral aid to the Palestinians after a review of funding for projects in the West Bank and Gaza and will redirect the money to “high priority projects elsewhere.”