JERUSALEM, Israel – In a stunning reversal, the U.S. State Department froze $221 million designated by former President Barack Obama to the Palestinian Authority on his last full day in office. The funds had previously been budgeted to the Palestinian Authority but blocked by Congress. Obama released the funds just hours before Trump was sworn-in as president.
Officials at the State Department decided to freeze the transfer until the appointment of former Secretary of State John Kerry’s replacement. Trump’s nomination, Exxon CEO Ray Tillerson, generated some controversy because of his business dealings with countries considered human rights violators and concern that he might show favoritism to his Russian contacts.
On Monday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee endorsed his nomination, albeit split along party lines, paving the way for confirmation by the full Senate.
The 11-10 vote came after Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and John McCain, R-Ariz., decided to back the former Exxon Mobil Corp. chairman’s nomination. During the confirmation hearings, Rubio was reportedly the most vocal of the three senators.
Representatives Ed Royce, R-Calif., who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Kay Granger, R-Texas, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, blocked the funding packages in 2015 and 2016 in response to the P.A.’s efforts to join international organizations.
Granger said she’d “worked to make sure that no American taxpayer dollars would fund the Palestinian Authority unless very strict conditions were met,” israel national news reported on its website, Arutz Sheva.
Money for the Palestinians nee Jordanians? Quoth the Raven “Nevermore”!
Every day it just keeps on getting better.
OUTFUCKNGSTANDING!! HALLEFUCKINGLUJAH !!
Now, THAT’S what I’m talking ’bout, baby!
Stop the PA funding=GREAT, Prosecute the violation to the fullest extent of the law for all parties involved=PRICELESS!
The democrats showing their true “genius”. By trying to sneak $221 million to the Palestinian Authority, they’ve set the stage for a permanent cutoff for funds. And with Trump making friendly overtures to Russia, who are those raghead pigs going to get foreign aid from now, China?
That is OUR money! How about kicking back a little our way?
Not one red cent……..
No foreign government or group should get any US money until…….
OUR VETERANS and OUR POOR are taken care of.
Most Excellent !
221,000,000 AMENS!!
Hey, can anyone tell me what day it is???
TrumpDay!! Heck, everyday is TrumpDay!!
Trumps got this.
And Obama disappears up his own asshole.
DJT has done more in two and change workdays than obongo and W did in 16 years–and yes, I know that W had a major catastrophe on his plate that cut into his agenda.
Amazing what can happen when someone who isn’t a politician has the reins.
How many lives was 0bama willing to end? How many lives did this one act of stopping the payment save? We will never know, but certainly many.
@PHenry – he can stay there. The only time I want to see obama again is when he’s in cuffs being dragged off to prison or the gallows.
“Unless very conditions were met”? Programs in PT but not to PA? Same thing! Let them fund their own malls.
What’s interesting is that State Department officials decided to do this on their own. It’s almost like they’re a little nervous about their jobs. Anyway, screw the Palestinians. Their leadership says one thing to the west then turns around and tells quite a different thing (which usually ends up as kill all the jews, destroy Israel and take all their stuff because you’ve been cheated, see it’s all in the hostroy books we wrote) which the media never report on. After six or more generations of being brainwashed I think they be a lost cause and the best solution would be to demand from the countries that are hosting the refugee cities that they be given citizenship in that country or no more aid dollars or weapons.
Kudos aplenty guys. Have been following subject last 24 hours. Up til now, all other headlines say money withheld but texts did not give any details. This is first article that spells out the actual withholding of funds.
$221 million to go towards the WALL!!!
MORE GOOD NEWS!
$221 million we don’t even have. To give to anybody.
Primarily voted for Trump because he isn’t hitlery; but he’s definitely growing on us.
“..Granger said, adding “The Obama administration’s decision to release these funds was inappropriate.””
Almost every Obama administration decision was inappropriate,
Alternate thought:
No foreign government or group should get any US money until……
The National Debt is paid off.
Caulkblocked I’d say.Trump 221 million, Oblowhole legacy ZERO
Starve the Palestinians.
Apparently, there was at least person of goodwill working at the very Swampy State Dept. Let’s give him/her the “Sand in Obama’s Vaseline” award for slow-walking the funds to the bank.
Great job. My great grandchildren don’t have that kind of money. What they may eventually have won’t be enough the way the gov’t gives it away besides they will never be able to pay off their share of the national debt. In fact not even the interest share.
The arabs don’t donate to arabs, fuck them
all.