Thursday, 4 January 2018

Palestinians condemn Trump threat to cut aid as 'blackmail'


: *Palestinians condemn  Trump threat  to cut aid as 'blackmail'*

Palestinian officials have dismissed as "blackmail" Donald Trump's threat to cut US aid over what he called their unwillingness to negotiate with Israel.

A spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas insisted Jerusalem was "not for sale" - a reference to Mr Trump's recognition of the city as the capital of Israel.

Mr Abbas was not against negotiations, he said, but they had to be based on "international laws and resolutions".

The US provided $260m (£192m) of bilateral aid for Palestinians in 2016.

In addition, it is the largest single donor to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Unrwa), providing $368m in 2016.

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