Biden Admin Quietly Funneled $3 Mil to Palestinian Government 'Security Forces' for Weapons Training—After Its Members Carried Out Attacks on Israelis

The Biden administration quietly allocated over $3 million to the Palestinian Authority Security Forces (PASF) just before leaving office. This funding was meant for "firearms and ammunition" training, following numerous attacks by PASF members against Israelis. A Jan. 3 funding notice detailed over $20 million for various regional security projects, with a significant portion aimed at training PASF for operations in Gaza.

Concerns are rising in both Israel and Washington about this funding, especially due to PASF’s historic ties to terrorism. In 2023, PASF was linked to over 1,500 attacks on Israel. A report showed that many of these attackers were affiliated with the Fatah movement, which sponsors the PASF. Recent investigations highlighted ongoing violence, including the death of a PASF officer who was identified as a commander of a terrorist group.

Representative Michael McCaul expressed worries about PASF's effectiveness in handling security and preventing Hamas from re-establishing its terrorist operations. He emphasized that thorough oversight is necessary to ensure American taxpayer funds do not unintentionally support terrorism against allies.

The Trump administration had previously frozen substantial funding to the Palestinian Authority due to its accord with terrorist organizations. In contrast, the Biden administration restored around $45 million annually to the Palestinian security services, which has raised alarms about potential benefits to Hamas.

The congressional notice mentioned how U. S. taxpayer funds have been used to provide support and training for PASF, including establishing a Gazan division for potential larger-scale training. The training activities are planned to happen in Jordan and will cover the use of firearms.

The funding of PASF raises significant concerns as it seems like a contradiction of past efforts to cut financial support for groups associated with terrorism. In light of the recent developments, there are calls for stringent oversight to ensure that funds are properly managed and do not empower military groups against U. S. allies. 

https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/biden-admin-quietly-funneled-3-mil-to-palestinian-government-security-forces-for-weapons-training-after-its-members-carried-out-attacks-on-israelis/