On-the-Ground | U.S. Funding Cuts to Palestine: The Impact on Programs and People

In an abrupt end to nearly 50 years of bipartisan support for Palestinian assistance, in August 2018, the U.S. administration announced it was pulling over $500 million in budgeted aid to Palestinians for the fiscal year ($200 million in bilateral aid for USAID, $300 million for UNRWA). Assistance administered by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is implemented by U.S. and international nongovernmental organizations, including Anera. In this report we assess what these cuts have meant for people on the ground.

The Anera on-the-ground series is designed to add a humanitarian voice to the story of life in the Middle East. With data from Anera’s professional staff, people who live and work in the communities they serve, and with over 50 years of experience in the region, Anera has a unique opportunity to build a fuller understanding of what life is like for families struggling to survive within an atmosphere of severe political strife and daily turmoil.