Will Trump stop funding the Palestinians following Biden’s $2.1 billion since Oct. 7?
PA official: "We as Palestinians need to continue providing these organizations (e.g., ICC) with real documents and information"
PA work with ICC violates US funding restrictions
The Palestinian Authority continues to openly flaunt that it disregards American wishes and legislation. American law prohibits funding the PA if the PA takes action against Israel in the International Criminal Court:
PA-controlled Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall Director of Documentation Amir Daoud: "We have seen profound changes in the positions of the states… and this reached a peak in the issuance of arrest warrants against [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu and [then Israeli Minister of Defense] Gallant… We as Palestinians need to continue providing these organizations (e.g., ICC) with real documents and information to expand the scope of sanctions to ensure that all the occupation's criminals will reach the world's courts to receive their punishment."
[Official PA TV, Nov. 27, 2024]
Nevertheless, the Palestinians have no problem begging for and receiving American funding, to the tune of more than $2.1 billion since October 7, 2023 as reported in a USAID press release:
"Since 2021, USAID/West Bank and Gaza has invested over $600 million in economic support funding of the Palestinian people, in addition to the over $2.1 billion in humanitarian assistance since October 7, 2023."
[USAID press release, November 15, 2024]
Palestinian Media Watch has documented that the PA is acting contrary to the US Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014. This law renders the Palestinians ineligible to receive money from the US Economic Support Fund if they actively support an ICC investigation. The law states:
"None of the funds appropriated under the heading ‘Economic Support Fund' in this Act may be made available for assistance for the Palestinian Authority, if after the date of enactment of this Act… the Palestinians initiate an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation, or actively support such an investigation, that subjects Israeli nationals to an investigation for alleged crimes against Palestinians."
The PA continues to show contempt for these basic American criteria. Not only does it fail to abide by the restrictions, but it celebrates its influence on the ICC decision as "among the most important achievements of the Palestinian struggle in the past 10 years."
Secretary-General of the International Academic Campaign against the Israeli Occupation and Apartheid Ramzi Oudeh: "The courageous decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) regarding the arrest [warrants for former Israeli Minister of Defense] Gallant and [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu is among the most important achievements of the Palestinian struggle in the past 10 years. It is considered the most significant achievement. Today, this is a victory for the Palestinian people."
[Official PA TV, Topic of the Day, Nov. 27, 2024]
American funding of the PA was cut off under President Trump due to the PA's violation of the terms of the Taylor Force Act (TFA), but it was then reinstated under the Biden administration through various channels that bypassed the restrictions of the TFA. With the PA gloating about its participation in ICC proceedings against Israel in violation of US restrictions, it will be noteworthy to see if the new US administration will stick to the letter and spirit of the law, which clearly intended for the US to cut off PA funding in such a case.