From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
Haley: Arab countries need to ‘step up’ on Palestinian aid
US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Tuesday criticizes Middle Eastern countries for not doing enough to help Palestinians and move the peace process forward, saying that they need to “step up.”
“It is time for the regional states in particular to step up and really help the Palestinian people, instead of just making speeches thousands of miles away,” Haley says at a monthly meeting of the UN Security Council on the Middle East.
“Where are the Arab countries when it comes to encouraging reconciliation between Palestinian factions, which is essential to peace? Where are the Arab countries when it comes to denouncing Hamas terrorism? Where are the Arab countries when it comes to supporting compromises that are necessary for peace?” she says.
Haley highlights American assistance to the Palestinians, saying that in addition to aid to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Washington provided $300 million in bilateral aid last year, and “over six billion — with a B — dollars in bilateral assistance to Palestinians” since 1993.
“How much have the Arab countries — some of whom are wealthy countries — how much have they given to the Palestinians?” she asks.
“Last year, Iran’s contribution to UNRWA was zero. Algeria’s contribution to UNRWA was zero. Tunisia’s contribution to UNRWA was zero,” Haley says, without mentioning the significant reduction in the US contribution to the agency this year.
Her French counterpart Francois Delattre asks the US to reconsider that decision, calling on Washington “to shoulder its responsibilities and maintain its commitments on this crucial issue” to help fill the estimated $200 million gap in UNRWA.
— AFP
The Times of Israel Community.