Arab League says will fund Palestinians after U.S. cuts aid

Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi says that assistance to AP will be forthcoming, after the U.S. Congress blocked transfer of $200 million to the Palestinians in reaction to the Palestinian statehood bid at the UN.

By DPA and Haaretz

The head of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi said Sunday Arab countries would offer financial assistance to the Palestinians instead of the aid which the United States threatened to halt over a Palestinian bid for a state.

"The Arabs will assist the Palestinian Authority. This will be the strongest answer (to the U.S. threat)," al-Arabi told reporters in Cairo after talks with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. The United States Congress blocked nearly $200 million in aid to the Palestinians, the U.K’s Independent newspaper reported on Saturday.

The aid, which was destined for projects related to food aid, health care, and state building efforts, was to have been transferred to the Palestinian Authority during the U.S. fiscal year that ended Friday, according to the report. However, the remainder of the aid allocated to the Palestinian Authority for the current financial year will not be transferred.

The Independent reported that the block by three Congressional committees has been in force since August 18, when it was formally notified that USAID, the U.S. government aid agency, wanted to transfer the remaining $192 million funding for the current fiscal year.

remainder: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/arab-league-says-will-fund-palestinians-after-u-s-cuts-aid-1.387715

The eternal rally issue for the Arab "League".

They will NEVER (to their ability) allow it to go away.

They're the ones with the oil money.