Latest news with #PA-led
See - Sada Elbalad
20-02-2025
- Business
- See - Sada Elbalad
Trump Halts US Aid to Palestinian Security Forces
The Trump administration has suspended all financial aid to the Palestinian Authority's security forces, as part of its broader freeze on foreign assistance, according to a report by The Washington Post, citing both US and Palestinian officials. The funding halt comes at a critical time for the Palestinian Authority (PA), which is struggling to maintain security control in parts of the occupied West Bank while also positioning itself for a potential governance role in post-war Gaza. Despite chronic underfunding, the Palestinian security forces play a key role in maintaining law and order in both the West Bank and Gaza, the report noted. While the US previously cut direct financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority during Trump's first term, it continued supporting training and security sector reforms. This was carried out through the Office of the U.S. Security Coordinator (USSC) in Jerusalem, an international body responsible for overseeing security training efforts. Palestinian security spokesperson Anwar Rajab told The Washington Post that the US had been a major donor to PA-led projects, including security training and force development programs. A former Israeli official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of the issue, suggested that the funding cut would not have a significant impact on the Palestinian security forces, as other donors had stepped in to fill the gap. According to a senior Palestinian security officer, the funding halt has already led to reductions in training programs, particularly at the Palestinian Authority's Central Training Institute. A planned meeting between Palestinian officials and US counterparts to assess PA-led counterinsurgency operations in Jenin Refugee Camp—which were put on hold following Israel's recent military incursion—has also been postponed indefinitely. Additionally, the US had been funding the development of a virtual shooting range for Palestinian security forces, a crucial resource given that Israel prohibits the import of live ammunition for training. With the project nearly completed, Palestinian officials are now seeking alternative funding sources due to the American aid freeze.
Arab News
04-02-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Palestinian Authority forms task force to oversee Gaza's reconstruction
LONDON: The Palestinian Authority announced the formation of a task force on Tuesday to oversee the Gaza Strip's reconstruction and coordinate humanitarian relief efforts with Egypt. The PA's task force will address urgent issues for the 2 million Palestinians in Gaza following 15 months of Israeli bombardment, which ended in January following a ceasefire. Its responsibilities will include distributing aid, reopening roads, clearing debris, and providing adequate shelter for families whose homes have been destroyed. The Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, which began in late 2023, has resulted in the deaths of at least 47,000 Palestinians, with the majority being women and children. According to the UN, about 60 percent of buildings in Gaza have been either damaged or destroyed during the military campaign. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said during a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that a PA-led Government Operations Room for Emergency Interventions is currently working to deliver as many essential services as possible to the people in Gaza, including water, electricity, healthcare, and education. 'This is a national responsibility toward our people, who have endured the horrors of war for the past 15 months,' he said, as reported by the Palestine News and Information Agency. Mustafa added that Palestinians 'will neither capitulate nor despair in the face of the international community's failure to stop Israel's war machine.' He added: 'These crimes against our people must end. We will continue our legitimate struggle for all our rights because we are certain that justice will prevail as no right is ever lost when fought for.'
