Staff Reports
Conservative Republicans are criticizing President Joe Biden's proposed budget for the 2024 fiscal year, specifically his request for an extra $40 million in "critical assistance" to the Palestinian people. While Biden insists that the funds are intended to support a two-state solution with Israel, Republicans are worried that the money may be diverted to finance acts of terrorism.
Biden Proposes Increasing ‘Critical Aid’ To Palestinians Despite Growing Concerns Of Funding Terrorism https://t.co/CrFpjztOF2
— US Burning (@UsBurning) March 9, 2023
Despite past reports of U.S. funding being exploited for Palestinian terrorist attacks against Israel, the proposed budget for the coming fiscal year includes a $40 million increase in funding for efforts to improve the situation for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza. The total requested amount for these efforts is $259 million, which is higher than the previous year's allocation.
Sen. Tom Cotton Introduces Bill To End US Funding Of Palestinian ‘Martyr Payments’ https://t.co/fM3e4xiTrC
— US Burning (@UsBurning) March 8, 2023
The proposed budget allocates $3.3 billion for the U.S.-Israel Memorandum of Understanding, a 14-year agreement between the two countries that guarantees U.S. aid for Israeli self-defense. Despite this commitment, various investigations have discovered that the State Department, USAID, and U.S. funding via the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) have provided financial support to organizations that are openly hostile towards Israel, with some even having links to terrorism.
Republican Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas has criticized President Biden and the Democrats for their negative attitude towards Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Along with this, he has proposed a bill to strengthen the "Taylor Force Act," which prohibits U.S. funding from being given to the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority is notorious for its "Pay to Slay" program, which rewards terrorists. Similarly, Republican Representative Chip Roy introduced legislation in February to halt funding to UNRWA until accountability measures are implemented. This came after reports that tunnels for the terrorist group Hamas had been constructed beneath Palestinian schools that had been funded by the United States.
It is concerning that President Biden is willing to provide additional funding to the Palestinian people despite reports of U.S. funding being used for terrorism in the past. It is clear that Biden and Democrats are more concerned with appeasing their liberal base than protecting the safety of our ally, Israel. It is imperative that Congress takes action to ensure that any U.S. funding going to the Palestinian people is not used for terrorist activities and that our support of Israel remains unwavering.
