Donald Trump has provoked fury by threatening to withhold aid payments to the Palestinian Authority over stalled Israeli peace talks.
“We pay the Palestinians HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect," the US president tweeted.
He continued: “With the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The US gave $357m to the Palestinian Authority in 2016, according to The Times of Israel.
As one of the authority’s largest doners, Trump could inflict “great pain” on the Palestinians, says The Washington Post. But cutting off aid could also affect Israel, which relies on the Palestinian Authority to help maintain calm in the volatile region, the newspaper adds.
The Guardian calls Trump’s posturing “dangerous”, and says it demonstrates “a lack of understanding of the delicate mechanics that help maintain relative peace between Israelis and Palestinians”.
The office of Palestine’s President Mahmoud Abbas rejected what the Palestinians called Trump’s “blackmail” attempt, saying “Jerusalem is not for sale, neither for gold nor silver”.
The move follows Trump’s controversial decision in December to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, provoking unrest and triggering clashes in the Gaza Strip.
Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian leader, said Trump had “singlehandedly destroyed the very foundations of peace” with his Jerusalem declaration, ABC News reports.
-
Why are Trump's health rumors about more than just presidential fitness?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Extended absences and unexplained bruises have raised concerns about both his well-being and his administration's transparency
-
'The McDonald's menu board is one fascinating thing'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
Epstein accusers urge full file release, hint at own listspeed read A rally was organized by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, who are hoping to force a vote on their Epstein Files Transparency Act
-
Court hands Harvard a win in Trump funding battleSpeed Read The Trump administration was ordered to restore Harvard's $2 billion in research grants
-
Why reports of Donald Trump's demise are greatly exaggeratedIn The Spotlight US president has once again brushed aside rumours that he's dead
-
US kills 11 on 'drug-carrying boat' off VenezuelaSpeed Read Trump claimed those killed in the strike were 'positively identified Tren de Aragua Narcoterrorists' shipping drugs to the US
-
Trump vows to send federal forces to Chicago, BaltimoreSpeed Read The announcement followed a California judge ruling that Trump's LA troop deployment was illegal
