WASHINGTON — A U.S. official says the Trump administration is cutting tensof millions of dollars in funding for the U.N. agency for Palestinianrefugees, slashing this year’s first contribution by more than half.
The official says the U.S. is making additional donations contingent onmajor changes to the organization.
The official said the U.N. Relief and Works Agency was notified Tuesday theU.S. is withholding $65 million of the planned $125 million installment.
The U.S. is UNWRA’s largest donor, supplying nearly 30 percent of thebudget. The agency focuses on providing health care, education and socialservices to Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria andLebanon.
The official wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about the U.S. letter toUNRWA and demanded anonymity. – Agencies