WASHINGTON: The Biden administration announced on Wednesday it would provide $235 million in US aid to the Palestinians, restarting funding for the United Nations agency supporting refugees and restoring other assistance cut off by then-President Donald Trump.
The package, including humanitarian, economic and development assistance, was detailed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken as part of an effort to repair American ties with the Palestinians that all but collapsed during Trump’s tenure.
It marked Democratic President Joe Biden’s most significant move since taking office on Jan. 20 to make good on his promise to roll back some components of his Republican predecessor’s approach that Palestinians denounced as heavily biased in favor of Israel.
The plan calls for $150 million through the United Nations relief agency UNRWA, $75 million in US economic and development assistance and $10 million for peace-building programs, Blinken said in a statement.
Biden’s aides have also signaled that they want to re-establish the goal of a negotiated two-state solution as a priority in US policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
But they have moved cautiously so far, and any major steps are likely to wait for the dust to clear after Israel’s inconclusive March election, which will be followed by Palestinian elections scheduled in coming months.
The Trump administration blocked nearly all aid after it severed ties with the Palestinian Authority in 2018. The move was widely seen as an attempt to force the Palestinians to negotiate with Israel on terms the Palestinian leadership branded as an effort to deny them a viable state.
The cuts came after Palestinian leaders decided to boycott the Trump administration’s peace efforts over its decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and move the US embassy there from Tel Aviv, upending decades of American policy.
This included rescinding funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides aid and relief services to around 5.7 million registered Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and across the Middle East.
“The United States is pleased to announce that, working with Congress, we plan to restart US economic, development, and humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people,” Blinken said.
Ahmed Abu Huly, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said he would be holding a Zoom meeting with US State Department official Richard Albright to express appreciation for the “very important support” and said he hoped it would continue.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said: “In respect to UNRWA, Israel’s position is that the organization in its present form perpetuates the conflict rather than helping to resolve it. Therefore, the renewal of assistance to UNRWA must be accompanied by substantial and vital changes to its nature, goals and organizational conduct.”
The United Nations welcomed the restart of UNRWA funding. “There were a number of countries that had greatly reduced to halted contributions to UNRWA. We hope that the American decision will lead others to rejoin ... as UNRWA donors,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini told Reuters the new funding was “extremely welcome” but said it was also important to have the United States back as “strategic partners” politically.
Blinken said the United States was also “resuming vital security assistance programs” with the Palestinians but did not elaborate.
However, the administration is likely to hold back for now on resuming direct economic aid to the Palestinian Authority while Biden’s aides consult with Congress on potential legal obstacles, according to one person familiar with the matter. The notice to Congress assured lawmakers that all assistance would be consistent with US law.
The money that will go to UNRWA does not immediately restore contributions to the $365 million level that the United States gave to the agency in 2017.
Most of the refugees assisted by UNRWA are descendants of some 700,000 Palestinians who were driven out of their homes or fled fighting in the 1948 war that led to Israel’s creation.
The growing refugee count was cited by the Trump administration in its 2018 defunding, with then-State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert criticizing UNRWA over what she called an “endlessly and exponentially expanding community of entitled beneficiaries.”
Right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who developed close ties with Trump, has also called for the dismantling of UNRWA.
Soon after Biden took office, his administration began laying the groundwork for restored relations with the Palestinians as well as renewed aid. Biden’s aides are crafting a more detailed plan to reset ties, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters in mid-March.
The administration announced late last month it was giving $15 million to vulnerable Palestinian communities in the West Bank and Gaza to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
US restores Palestinian aid with $235m package
https://arab.news/9vnnx
US restores Palestinian aid with $235m package
- Secretary of State Antony Blinken reveals package that includes $150 million in humanitarian assistance for the UN relief agency
- A further $75 million provided for economic and development assistance in the West Bank and Gaza
King Tut gold mask to leave Cairo museum after nearly 100 years
Visitors have just days left to see the boy king’s world-famous gold funerary mask before it joins more than 5,000 artefacts from his tomb at the GEM, a $1-billion megaproject opening on July 3.
“Only 26 objects from the Tutankhamun collection, including the golden mask and two coffins, remain here in Tahrir,” said museum director Ali Abdel Halim.
“All are set to be moved soon,” he told AFP, without confirming a specific date for the transfer.
The government has yet to officially announce when or how the last artefacts will be relocated.
Still on display are the innermost gold coffin, a gilded coffin, a gold dagger, cosmetic box, miniature coffins, royal diadem and pectorals.
Tutankhamun’s treasures, registered at the Egyptian Museum on Cairo’s Tahrir square in 1934, have long been its crown jewels.
But the neoclassical building — with faded cases, no climate control and aging infrastructure — now contrasts with the high-tech GEM.
Once open, the GEM is believed to be the largest in the world devoted to a single civilization, housing more than 100,000 artefacts — with over half on public display.
In a dedicated wing, most of King Tut’s treasures will be exhibited together for the first time in history since British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the young pharaoh’s intact tomb in 1922.
His mummy will remain in its original resting place in Luxor’s Valley of the Kings as it is “a vital part of the archaeological site,” Egyptian officials have said.
A virtual replica, however, will be displayed at the GEM using virtual reality technology.
The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, long the historic heart of Egyptology, has lost in 2021 other star exhibits: 22 royal mummies including Ramses II and Queen Hatshepsut that were relocated in a widely watched state procession to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Old Cairo.
Still, it is home to around 170,000 artefacts, according to the museum director, including treasures from Yuya and Thuya — Tutankhamun’s ancestors — and items from ancient Tanis, such as the golden funerary mask of King Amenemope.
A total of 32,000 artefacts have already been relocated from storage and display halls at the Tahrir museum to the GEM.
The museum’s director said the space left behind by Tutankhamun’s collection will eventually be filled by a new exhibition “on par with the significance of Tut’s treasures.”
Syria condemns Israeli incursion into Damascus countryside
- Atrack undermines Syria’s efforts to achieve stability and reconstruction, Foreign Ministry said
- Israeli forces entered Beit Jinn in Qatana area killing one civilian and detaining others
LONDON: The Syrian Arab Republic condemned an overnight incursion by Israeli forces into its southern territory, resulting in the death of a civilian and the detention of scores of residents.
“(The) escalation represents a clear violation of international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, including the 1974 Disengagement Agreement,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said in a statement on Thursday.
It added that the attack undermines Syria’s efforts to achieve stability and reconstruction and called on the UN Security Council “to take decisive steps to halt those repeated attacks and ensure respect for international law, in order to preserve regional security and stability.”
Syria’s Ministry of Interior said on Thursday that the Israeli forces killed one civilian and “kidnapped seven others during a raid in the town of Beit Jinn, (in the) Damascus countryside” overnight.
The Israeli forces, comprised of tanks, armored personnel carriers, and infantry vehicles, along with reconnaissance drones, entered Beit Jinn in the Qatana area in the country’s southern territory, 12 km from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
“These practices cannot lead to stability in the region and will only lead to further tension and unrest,” the Ministry of Interior said.
Israeli forces took the detained Syrians into the territories it controlled following the fall of the Assad regime in December, and their fate remains “unknown,” the ministry added.
US warns Iran over support for Houthis, asks UN Security Council for stricter arms embargo
- American envoy Dorothy Shea says Iranian support allows Houthis to threaten Israel, Gulf countries, and broader regional stability
- ‘This council must not tolerate Iran’s repeated violations of its resolutions,’ she tells fellow members
NEW YORK CITY: The US sharply criticized Iran on Thursday over its backing of the Houthis in Yemen, accusing Tehran of violating UN arms embargoes and enabling attacks against Arab nations and Israel.
Speaking during a UN Security Council briefing on the situation in Yemen, the acting US ambassador, Dorothy Shea, said Iranian support is allowing the Houthis to threaten Israel, Gulf countries, and broader regional stability.
“This council must not tolerate Iran’s repeated violations of its resolutions,” she told fellow members.
Shea condemned the Houthis for ongoing cross-border attacks, including missile strikes on Israel’s Ben Gurion airport, and threats of air and naval blockades targeting Port of Haifa, as well as human rights abuses within Yemen itself.
“Israel has the right to defend itself,” she said. “We stand with Israel against Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including the Houthis.”
The US envoy also highlighted what she described as evidence that the Houthis were acquiring dual-use technology from Chinese sources, specifically the Chang Guang Satellite Technology Company, which is linked to China’s military and Communist Party leadership.
In addition, she called for closer scrutiny of the Houthis’ expanding ties to Somalian insurgent group Al-Shabaab, including an investigation by expert UN panels.
Shea highlighted the important role of the UN’s Verification and Inspection Mechanism for Yemen as a critical tool for preventing illicit arms shipments to the Houthis, and praised recent interceptions of containers headed for rebel-controlled ports. She urged member states to increase funding for the mechanism and provide naval assets so that it can fully enforce its mandate.
Shea also reiterated that even vessels cleared by the mechanism might still face consequences under US law, given that Washington has designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and warned that any form of aid to the group could violate US antiterrorism statutes.
The ambassador condemned the Houthis for the prolonged detention of employees of the UN and nongovernmental organizations, and diplomatic personnel, including Americans, for more than a year on “fabricated espionage charges,” and called for their immediate and unconditional release.
“The Houthis bear overwhelming responsibility for the deterioration in the well-being and safety of the Yemeni people,” Shea added, as she accused the group of terrorizing civilians, obstructing humanitarian aid, and profiting from illicit commercial activities.
The briefing came as UN efforts to address Yemen’s protracted conflict and humanitarian crisis continue, with the organization’s special envoy to the country, Hans Grundberg, and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya on Thursday calling on council members to put pressure on the Houthis for a peace agreement and the release of all detainees.
UAE president, Pakistani prime minister discuss cooperation, regional developments
- Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties and broadening partnership
- Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif commended Abu Dhabi for promoting dialogue and seeking common ground in diplomatic conflict resolution
LONDON: UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met with Pakistan Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif at Qasr Al-Shati in Abu Dhabi to discuss ways to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
The leaders exchanged Eid Al-Adha greetings on Thursday and focused their meeting on cooperation in the economic, investment, and development sectors. They reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ties and broadening the partnership between their countries.
They discussed various regional and international issues and highlighted the necessity of supporting global initiatives to promote regional and global peace, the Emirates News Agency reported.
Sharif commended Abu Dhabi for promoting dialogue and seeking common ground in diplomatic conflict resolution, along with its continuous support for Pakistan’s development initiatives, the WAM added.
The meeting was attended by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi and national security adviser, as well as Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the deputy chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs. They were joined by other senior Emirati and Pakistani officials.
UN urges Security Council to pressure Houthis for peace and release of detainees
- With Yemen’s economy in free fall and millions in need amid a worsening humanitarian crisis, they say time is running out to turn ‘hope into progress’
- A year after dozens of UN and other humanitarian workers were arbitrarily arrested, the UN’s envoy for Yemen says: ‘Their continued imprisonment is shameful’
NEW YORK CITY: Top UN officials on Wednesday warned the Security Council that there is a risk the fragile situation in Yemen could rapidly deteriorate, as they called for both intensified diplomatic efforts and increased humanitarian funding to stave off further instability and ease human suffering.
With Yemen’s economy in free fall and millions in need, they said time is running out to turn “hope into progress.”
The UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, and deputy emergency relief coordinator, Joyce Msuya, also highlighted the ongoing detention of UN workers and employees of nongovernmental organizations by the Houthis, a year after dozens were arbitrarily arrested.
“Their continued imprisonment is shameful,” said Grundberg. “I call again, in the strongest terms, for their immediate and unconditional release.”
Msuya echoed this condemnation, saying: “Twenty-three UN staff remain detained. I join the special envoy and the (UN) secretary-general in calling for their immediate release.”
The detentions, some dating back as far as 2021, have cast a long shadow over ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive peace agreement in Yemen, where multiple front lines remain active in the civil war and recent regional escalations have complicated a fragile status quo.
The Houthis, the official name for whom is Ansar Allah, have launched missile attacks on Israel in recent weeks, including one that targeted Ben Gurion Airport. Israel in turn struck Houthi-controlled infrastructure, including the destruction of a civilian aircraft at Sanaa International Airport. Grundberg warned that such escalations directly harm ordinary citizens.
“Yemenis living in Ansar Allah-controlled areas are unable to fly commercially from Sanaa Airport to seek medical treatment abroad, to travel for Hajj or visit their families,” he said.
He described the reopening of the airport in May 2022 as a key peace dividend of a now-lapsed truce agreement that year.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Yemen continues to deepen. Msuya described a deteriorating health and food-security situation affecting millions.
“Over 17 million people, or nearly half of Yemen’s population, are acutely hungry,” she told council members.
“Malnutrition affects 1.3 million pregnant and breastfeeding women and 2.3 million children under 5. Without sustained humanitarian support, an estimated 6 million more people could end up in emergency levels of food insecurity.”
Despite the challenges, Msuya noted some progress has been made, including the reopening of a key route between Aden and Sanaa via Al-Dhalea, which had been closed for nearly seven years.
“This development … shows that Yemen is not on a fixed, downhill trajectory,” she said. “With trust and the right tools, there remains hope.”
Grundberg also pointed to this development as a positive sign.
“I commend, again, the local facilitators across the front lines who worked to make this happen,” he said. “Yemen’s economy is in dire need of positive and trust-building steps such as these.”
However, the path forward in the country remains uncertain. Grundberg reported increased tensions around Marib, and troop movements in several governorates, warning that “conditions can change rapidly and unpredictably.”
Both officials reiterated that a long-term solution will require a political settlement and increased support from regional authorities.
Grundberg said he has held talks with the Yemeni government, the Houthis, and regional authorities including Saudi Arabia, Iran and Oman, and noted that there is a shared view that only negotiation can end the conflict.
He urged council members to “use your powerful voices, your diplomatic channels and your influence, to exert maximum pressure” on the Houthis both in the pursuit of peace and to secure the release of detainees.
Msuya concluded her remarks with three direct appeals: “Take the lead of the Senior Officials Meeting in May and follow up with scaled-up, flexible funding; take real action to see that UN and other detained colleagues are released…; (and) maintain your unified support for efforts toward lasting peace.”
