Sunday, January 7, 2018

Cutting Aid

This week President Trump threatened to cut US aid for Palestinians.. if they don't come to the peace table. That comes weeks after his decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, and to move the US embassy there. Scott Thuman traveled to the tense West Bank to ask what Palestinians think of Trump, and the prospects for peace.
Through heavily-guarded checkpoints, and signs warning Israelis that entering here, is both illegal and potentially deadly, we cross into the West Bank city Ramallah, effectively and for now, the Palestinian capital. Here, President Trump's decision to recognize the contested city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has sparked more than just tough talk. Violence broke out after President Trump's announcement. Livid over what they see as the U.S. siding with Israel and seeming to dismiss their claims to Jerusalem, Palestinian leaders called for 'three days of rage.' This anger, directed less at Israel and more, at the United States for its change of policy. Emergency meetings at the U.N. in New York left the U.S. facing condemnation by more than one hundred countries, which left President Trump threatening to cut-off some of the millions Washington contributes to the organization.
President Trump: Let them vote against us, we'll save a lot, we don't care.
Nabil Shaath, former Palestinian foreign minister and senior advisor to the current Palestinian leader, says he, and all Palestinians, were blindsided.

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