Trump suggests Palestinian Authority shouldn't get U.S. aid
President Trump is threatening to cut off U.S. aid money to the Palestinian Authority and acknowledging that the Middle East peace process appears to be stalled.
Mr. Trump said in a pair of tweets Tuesday that, "we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don't even want to negotiate a long overdue ... peace treaty with Israel."
He added that, "with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?"
It's not only Pakistan that we pay billions of dollars to for nothing, but also many other countries, and others. As an example, we pay the Palestinians HUNDRED OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect. They don’t even want to negotiate a long overdue...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
...peace treaty with Israel. We have taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, but Israel, for that, would have had to pay more. But with the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018
Mr. Trump infuriated many when he announced late last year that the U.S. would consider Jerusalem the capital of Israel and move its embassy there. The White House was warned such an action would only make the situation in the Middle East more tense.
Mr. Trump has long said he wants to broker Mideast peace, calling it "the ultimate deal." He has involved senior administration officials, including his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, in the attempt.
In the past, Mr. Trump has said resolving health care is harder than reaching Mideast peace. But plans for Mideast peace haven't gone as quickly or smoothly as the president had hoped, and that peace has remained elusive.
Vice President Mike Pence delayed a trip to the Middle East scheduled for December, as the Senate looked to pass its tax plan.