Netanyahu requests U.S. transfer funds to PA, Trump refuses
Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer, among other Israeli officials, reportedly asked Washington to allow the transfer.
By RACHEL WOLFUS PRESIDENT Donald Trump welcomes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House in March(photo credit: CARLOS BARRIA / REUTERS)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested that Washington allow the transfer of $12 million to Palestinian security forces, but President Donald Trump denied the request, Channel 13 reported.“If it’s so important for Netanyahu, he should pay the Palestinians $12 million,” Senior White House officials told Channel 13, quoting the president.Netanyahu's administration was supposedly one of the key factors in Trump's decision to cut aid to the Palestinians in the first place, i24 reported. The cuts were made slowly over time, but the US State Department found that the money was still being transferred to Palestinian security forces, according to Israel National News.Israeli ambassador to the US Ron Dermer, among other Israeli officials, reportedly asked the US to allow the transfer."All US security assistance to the PA has ceased," a US official told Axios. "The US security coordinator and his team continue to conduct a security cooperation-only mission. These activities are not funded with foreign assistance resources."The transfer of funds did not occur, according to Israel National News.
