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| US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley threatened Tuesday to cut funding to UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency) until the Palestinians return to the negotiating table.
The president “doesn’t want to give additional funding or stop funding until the Palestinians agreeing to come back to the negotiating table,” she said. “We’re trying to move for a peace process. But if that doesn’t happen, the president’s not going to continue to fund that situation.” After declaring Jerusalem as Israel’s capital last month, and his intent to move the US embassy in Israel there from Tel Aviv, Trump warned foreign nations against condemning the new US policy through a vote in the UN General Assembly. A vote proceeded anyway, with a majority voting against it, which prompted Trump to threaten the international body with a massive aid cut. As of last year, 22% of the UN’s annual budget comes from US aid. UNRWA works in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the Gaza Strip. |