US seeks to provide financial aid for PA to administer Gaza, reports WSJ

The United States intends to provide financial support to the Palestinian Authority, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The Palestinian Authority is facing financial difficulties, expecting to run out of funds by the end of February.

The U.S. hopes that after the Gaza conflict concludes, control of the strip will transition to the Palestinian Authority.

Authorities in the region have stated that they will soon be unable to pay salaries to their employees. The Biden administration is concerned that without financial assistance, Mahmoud Abbas could lose power in the West Bank to more radical groups.

However, a law passed by the U.S. Congress in 2018 prohibits the transfer of funds to the Palestinian Authority due to their provision of benefits to Palestinian prisoners and the families of deceased terrorists.

Since President Biden took office, the United States has resumed aid to the Palestinians, though not directly to the Palestinian Authority. Instead, US Aid and the UN Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees have been utilized for this purpose. Assistance from UNRWA was halted following a Hamas attack on Israel.