USAID Threatens To Stop Funding Projects In Gaza

Saturday August 13, 2011 10:59 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

A source at the US Department of State stated that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) would stop funding all projects in the Gaza Strip should the Hamas movement implement its decision to enforce direct supervision on all international institutions operating in Gaza.

Israeli and international media agencies reported Friday that the USAID will stop funding all projects and organizations unless Hamas voids its decision.

The USAID is demanding that international organizations operating in Gaza should not be subject to observation and monitoring by any group, especially the Hamas movement and its dissolved government in Gaza.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Planning at the dissolved Hamas-led government in Gaza, Mohammad Awad, denied any crisis with any nonprofit organizations, especially the USAID.

Awad told the Maan News Agency that a workshop will be held with all nonprofit organizations in order to get to know their aims, and the types of projects they carry.

He added that most of the nonprofit institutions in the Gaza Strip are running humanitarian projects and services.

The United States and Israel dub the Hamas movement as a terrorist group. A few international humanitarian organizations, mainly the UNRWA, are operating in Gaza and are, so far, not subject to direct observation by the Hamas-led government in the coastal region.

gaza strip | international politics | news report