The Hide of the Nauga

Tuesday, April 07, 2020

Release Aid to Palestinians!

Release Aid to the Palestinians This Holy Week, we are in the midst of a global crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic is causing devastation in our own families and in communities around the world. Now more than ever, nations can no longer stand by when other nations are experiencing global health epidemics. In particular, we remember the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East through the Good Friday Offering. We also are taking this time to advocate for policies that will help Christians, and all people, in the Holy Land. The U.S. provides critical humanitarian support to the Palestinian people through a variety of funding mechanisms, including NGOs and civil society organizations, as well as in partnership with the Palestinian Authority. This support was suspended in part due to a provision in the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act (ATCA), which prevented Palestinians from receiving U.S. government assistance, including humanitarian aid. Congress amended this legislation so that Congress can once again support the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) by providing aid for Palestinians. The United States' support for Palestinians is still diminished, however, despite dire humanitarian needs. The East Jerusalem Hospital Network - including the St. John Eye Hospital, the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem's Princess Basma Rehabilitation Centre, and the Lutheran Augusta Victoria Hospital are still suffering from the effects of previous cuts, and they will not be able to continue to provide life-saving care unless funding resumes. NGOs such as Catholic Relief Services have been forced to close offices and stop providing services such as food assistance. We call upon the U.S. government to release critical USAID and UNRWA funds for the West Bank and Gaza to assist in the global fight against COVID-19. Without it, Palestinian communities will have insufficient resources to manage this ongoing pandemic.