Israeli officials have asked the administration of US President Trump to amend a law to stop US aid to Palestinian security services and enable it to coordinate security, according to informed sources in Washington on Thursday (January 24, 2019). With the Israeli security services "to provide stability in the West Bank."
The ECOSUS news website attributed Israeli officials as saying that in recent days the Israeli government had asked the administration to find ways to maintain US support, although the new law precluded it.
The ATCA, approved by the US Congress and signed by President Trump in October 2018, is due to enter into force on 1 February 2019. The continued closure of the government without an immediate end will make it unlikely that a legislative amendment Prior to that date.
The ATCA provides that foreign organizations and entities must be brought before the US courts if they accept any form of assistance from the US government to "ensure that the PA pays compensation / victims of terrorism / who have won civil actions against an organization Palestinian Liberation in US Courts. "
For its part, the Palestinian Authority believes that accepting the terms of the ATCA law will open up billions of dollars in cases. This is why the PA officially requested the United States not to provide aid to the Palestinian Authority after the law came into effect on 1/2/2019, Including assistance for Palestinian security services.
The bill was passed by right-wing NGOs in Israel and members of the US Congress from the Republican Party, unaware of its consequences by Congress, the administration or the Israeli government when it was signed.
It is noteworthy that the administration of US President Trump cut all aid to the Palestinians during the last year 2018, after the Palestinian Authority rejected the decision of Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of the embassy (6/12/2018), including US financial aid to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees " And the financial aid provided to the Palestinian Authority, even those allocated to the hospitals of the occupied city of Jerusalem. In the new year, Trump decided to terminate the work of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
US assistance to support the Palestinian security services is estimated at $ 60 million, including training and equipment.
Alexios, the security coordinator between the occupied West Bank and the Israeli occupation authorities, said that he expressed concern with General Eric Vindt, the American security coordinator in Jerusalem.
According to Axius, the aides of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including Israeli Ambassador to Washington Ron Demmer, who is close to the Trump administration, contacted the White House, the State Department and a number of members of Congress. They demanded a sort of arrangement to ensure continued US aid to the Palestinian security forces despite the ATCA .
"The administration views the security coordination process between Israel and the Palestinian security services as critical to the national security interest of the United States and Israel," the sources said. "At the same time, however, the allegations / victims of terrorism / who enacted the law For their own benefit in the first place ".
But no one expects Congress to take action to change the situation, freeze the law or deliver aid while the US government continues to shut down and there are no signs of reopening until the law goes into effect on Friday, February 1, 2019. " It is also unlikely that security coordination between the Palestinian security services and the Israeli occupation authorities will continue after the end of US support for these bodies.
