JERUSALEM _ Palestine News Network
The US State Department has told the US Agency for International Development (USAID) that it will separate about half of its 180 employees in the coming weeks, the Hebrew daily Ha´aretz reported on Sunday morning.
"In addition, the US administration is expected to announce at the beginning of 2019 the closure of the branch that assists the Palestinians," the Hebrew daily said.
She noted that the Israeli security establishment was concerned about the interruption of the anticipated activity in a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) sector.
According to senior officials of the Israeli security establishment, along with extensive reductions in the UNRWA budget, the closure of the United States Agency for International development could lead to a deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
"Ha´aretz" quoted senior Israeli officials as saying that Israel was liable to bear the security and economic costs of the situation.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is one of the largest and most important humanitarian organizations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The agency, which is responsible for civil external assistance to the United States, has been working in the West Bank and Gaza since 1994.
It is expected to close after the Trump government´s decision to completely freeze the US aid budget for the Palestinians.
This year, the United States was supposed to shift about $250 million to the Palestinians, including through the US agency. Of this budget, US $215 million is earmarked for economic development, humanitarian assistance and coexistence initiatives. According to "Hearts ".
Among other things, the agency invested about 5.5 billion shekels in the West Bank and Gaza in construction and road restoration projects, the establishment of clinics, schools, community facilities and water and sanitation systems.
The agency has also procured medical equipment, trained doctors and teachers and encouraged Palestinians to remain in educational settings. As part of the attempts to reach arrangements with Gaza, Israel allowed the agency, in August past, to introduce equipment for the construction of a large desalination plant and eight reservoirs
Because of Trump´s policy, the agency had to stop the projects it had promoted.
According to sources that have been involved in recent months, the US ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, has shown no interest in the organization and its needs, avoiding meetings with the Agency on joint ventures.
According to the sources, the Trump policy aims to pressure Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to resume dialogue with the United States and Israel before the US peace plan is published.
