Congress Seeks Showdown on Ending U.S. Aid to Palestinians

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A handful of key Republicans on Capitol Hill are pushing the newly sworn-in Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cut off all U.S. funding to the “Palestinian” government.

They want an immediate suspension of aid. Back in January, the State Department said it was eliminating some aid and tying the rest to peace talks.

But now Republicans want more cuts in the aid. They say it’s an outrage U.S. taxpayers are being put on the hook to provide for terrorists and their families — who just use the money to conduct acts of aggression and violence against Israelites.

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The Washington Free Beacon has the story:

A delegation of leading Republican members of Congress are urging newly installed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to cut all U.S. taxpayer funding to the Palestinian government over its continued use of American dollars to pay the salaries of terrorists and their families, according to communications between these lawmakers and the State Department.

A group of 14 lawmakers formally petitioned Pompeo this week to “immediately suspend all aid payments to the Palestinian Authority” due to recent reports these funds continue to be used to pay convicted terrorists and their families, a material breach of newly passed laws barring American aid money being used for such purposes.

The lawmakers seek a public showdown with the Trump administration over the future of U.S. aid to the Palestinian government, which has publicly refused to comply with new U.S. laws mandating the terror payment program known as “pay to slay” be stopped.

While similar efforts to cut U.S. aid to the Palestinian government for its open support for terrorism have not gained traction under past administrations, the latest call is expected to gain steam as President Donald Trump executes a more hardline stance on Palestinian terrorists and their regional supporters, including Iran.

The letter, the existence of which was first disclosed by the Washington Free Beacon, follows another recent report in this publication disclosing that the Palestinian Authority continues to spend U.S. aid dollars on terrorists. Palestinian officials have also made clear that they have no intention of following the new law and will continue to provide terrorists and their families with compensation.

While these payments have been a source of congressional concern for some time, the recent passage of the Taylor Force Act—a bill meant to end these payments—has provided the legal grist necessary for congressional opponents of U.S. aid to the Palestinian government to see this aid cut.

The Trump administration is mandated under the law to report to Congress on how U.S. aid dollars are benefiting Palestinian terrorists, but has yet to formally do so, sparking further irritation on Capitol Hill.

“Earlier this year, Congress took a bipartisan and resolute stance: we will not continue providing American aid to the Palestinian Authority if they use that money to pay terrorists and their families. These evil individuals seek to harm the United States and our ally Israel,” Rep. David B. McKinley (R., W.Va.), the original author of the letter, told the Free Beacon. “Since the Palestinian Authority has continued making these payments, we’re calling on Secretary Pompeo to suspend all aid until the situation can be resolved.”

In addition to McKinley, the letter garnered the support of Reps. John Ratcliffe (R., Texas), Louie Gohmert (R., Texas), Steve King (R., N.Y.), and several others.

“We urge you to immediately suspend all aid payments to the Palestinian Authority,” the lawmakers write in the letter. “Further, we urge you to make the cessation of this abhorrent practice that incentivizes terrorism a pre-condition for any U.S.-brokered peace talks between the sovereign state of Israel and the Palestinian Authority.”

The lawmakers also are demanding the State Department disclose for the first time the total amount of U.S. taxpayer dollars that have been used by the Palestinian government to support terrorists and their families. The total could be in the millions.

The lawmakers instruct the State Department to outline in detail: “How many foreign aid dollars went to the PA that were then used to fund terrorists prior to passage of the Taylor Force Act?”

They are additionally requesting information on what measures the administration is “planning to take to enforce the law and suspend aid to the PA, given the above statements and the content of their proposed budget?” according to the letter.

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felix1999
felix1999
5 years ago

“In addition to McKinley, the letter garnered the support of Reps. John Ratcliffe (R., Texas), Louie Gohmert (R., Texas), Steve King (R., N.Y.), and several others.”

We still have some PATRIOTS! Notice, DisTrusTed is not listed….. He’s not doing so well for his re-election. I truly DESPISE phony people like CRUZ with a unrelentless passion and will highlight every time his hypocrisy and anti-Trump actions or inactions.

ALL FUNDING needs to stop to the Palestinians and end the “refugee” status crap. That included health care to the little jihadists. Let a MUSLIM country pay for that. The U.S. has to STOP being the foolish ATM machine for our enemies. We don’t even have the money we are giving out with at least 20 TRILLION in debt! I wonder what the INTEREST RATE is for the money we lend out and don’t have.

Merlinever
Merlinever
5 years ago

“They want an immediate suspension of aid.”
A suspension???
Shouldn’t they be demanding an immediate and permanent end to this madness?
Palestine is at least 97.5% Muslim.
The Muslims hate us, want to destroy our country and kill us. and refer to our country as “the great Satan”.
And we have to think about whether we want to stop giving them financial aid????????????????????????

“Back in January, the State Department said it was eliminating some aid and tying the rest to peace talks.”
You can have “peace talks” with the Muslims for as long as you want and they’re willing (which would be forever) and the only result will be that they will get more of what they want while you will get less than nothing.
You can’t negotiate with people who are notorious for lying, being masters of deceit, and want to kill you.
One would think that our State Department would have figured that out by now, but it doesn’t look like itcomment image

IzlamDownpressesHumanity
IzlamDownpressesHumanity
5 years ago

Why the hell should the kafir al najjis taxpayers of the USA be on the hook to finance any totalitarian, fascist, muslum religious apartheid state (cough, Pakistain, cough, Egypt, cough again)?

IzlamDownpressesHumanity
IzlamDownpressesHumanity
5 years ago

Why the hell should the kafir al najjis taxpayers of the USA be on the hook to finance any totalitarian, fascist, muslum religious apartheid state (cough, Pakistain, cough, Egypt, cough again)?

0349 JAT
0349 JAT
5 years ago

The palestinians are laughing at the USA all the way to the bomb factories.

Dennis
Dennis
5 years ago

The truth and reality is being ignored when this country provides any aid to a people who have affirmatively stated death and destruction to the state of Israel and to the U.S.A. To fund those who wrongly and foolishly claim that Israel is an occupier and their improper claim that the lands involved are theirs, supporting violent terror to recapture that land, is downright disheartening. The Arabs continuously fail to recognize how much better off they would be if they learned to live peacefully with Israel, instead of promoting terror.The only help these dispirited people need is the building of hospitals and other creations that support their humanity not their terrorism. Aid that supports the conduct of terrorism must be cut off period.

Alleged-Comment
Alleged-Comment
5 years ago

Why do we feed them if they are NOT doing any work? Are they trying to act like Negroes and hope they can gain the same favors? Welfare will destroy you. Just ask the Negroes.

Anyway, why would you want to become fat, have crooked teeth and heart disease by the time your 40??

Mahou Shoujo
Mahou Shoujo
5 years ago

Stop all assistance to palestinians as they are nothing but terrorists, having been so for at least three generations. Which is how long they have been a figment of the lame stream media’s drug addled mind. All muslim countries should be exempt from any western assistance, as the prime reason islam exists is to destroy others, then like the parasite it is, consume them as carrion.

IzlamDownpressesHumanity
IzlamDownpressesHumanity
5 years ago
Reply to  Mahou Shoujo

Make sure to inform your fairy princess boy queen in Ottawa, anonymously of course.

Mahou Shoujo
Mahou Shoujo
5 years ago

He has been told repeatedly, but just won’t listen.

LaddyboyD
Laddyboy
5 years ago

Palestine is a planned open air prison for these muslems. They need to go to the islamic moskes and petition them for food. America is NOT responsible for feeding these muslems who REFUSE to make a living for themselves. I am and American and am FOR CUTTING ALL AID FOR THESE PEOPLE WHO HAVE VOICED THEIR DESIRE TO DESTROY Israel.

Michelle
Michelle
5 years ago

I feel certain that Iran will step in and replace the lost funds. I have to admit that financing your enemies seems totally insane. No wonder muslims have no respect for the west.

R. Arandas
R. Arandas
5 years ago
Reply to  Michelle

Though the Iranians themselves are doing much worse than they seem economically, they have limits on their own “funds”. Unrest is already spreading due to inflation.

VictorMC
VictorMC
5 years ago
Reply to  R. Arandas

They are already under heavy sanctions about to get a lot heavier…

TDD
TD
5 years ago
Reply to  Michelle

“I have to admit that financing your enemies seems totally insane.”
..and it will continue unless ALL democrats are thrown out this year.
Bill clinton financed North Korea for 7 years, Obama Iran and Russia.

Clear Sky
Clear Sky
5 years ago
Reply to  Michelle

That is called tribute. Muslims have a tradition of extracting tribute through threats, extortion or blackmail from their enemies or from kufars.
As long as we pay tribute they will have no respect for us.

R. Arandas
R. Arandas
5 years ago

Our government always makes it a point to fund people who are or eventually will become our enemies, or who overwhelmingly hate Americans. Not just the Palestinians, but also rogue nations like Pakistan, which has received at least $10 billion in aid so far from our country.

OhioHomeowner
OhioHomeowner
5 years ago

Thought Taylor Force Act was signed law now. So there should be zero payments.

LeslieFish
LeslieFish
5 years ago

Isn’t it interesting that Pomeo’s DOS is trying to look strict and demanding with the Trump admin., when in fact Trump & Co. have been all for leaning hard on the Jihadists? It’s as if Pompeo is trying to *look* separate and neutral, probably so that all the Dems who are howling for Trump’s scalp won’t look too closely at Pompeo & Co., leaving them free to do the necessary work. Heheheheheh.

kelly
kelly
5 years ago

what about $320 million Australian sponsorship program designed to allow up to 10,000 people from Africa to come to Australia to study?! aid to all foreigner but not to their own. is this globalisation?!

VictorMC
VictorMC
5 years ago

We have known that for all the years since Israel gave them the territory – big big mistake. Stop talking DO IT.

Stephen Honig
Stephen Honig
5 years ago

Good! Stop all aid.

Suresh
Suresh
5 years ago

Trump was conned by Abbas initially but when he found out the truth boy was he mad as hell at the jihadi http://bit.ly/2rOmfyJ

That’s when he decided enough is enough and that inspite of huge opposition led to shifting of Embassy to Jerusalem and No more funding to the jihadis.

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