The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced that half of its employees in the West Bank and Gaza will be laid off in the coming weeks and by early 2019 the operations will be completely shut down.
Israeli officials reportedly voiced fears that such US decision would aggravate the humanitarian and security situation in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories according to Haaretz newspaper.
The US department of state informed USAID last week that by next month the agency would have to present a list of 60 percent of its employees to be dismissed as the first step in the shutdown that will be finalized by 2019.
This US federal government agency handles civilian assistance to various countries around the world. It started operating in the West Bank and Gaza in 1994 focusing mainly on economic issues including water infrastructure education and health.
USAID also buys medical equipment provides humanitarian assistance to those in need of medical care and teaches lifesaving techniques to doctors from Gaza and the West Bank. In recent years USAID has conducted in-service education for teachers built schools and worked on projects to keep young Palestinians in the education system.
After US president Donald Trump’s decided to freeze funding to various Palestinian relief organizations dozens of USAID projects in the West Bank and Gaza were suspended including those that had been partially completed.
Israeli security and military officials are reportedly concerned about the consequences of the suspension of USAID’s work.
Senior army officials already warned that the US suspension of financial assistance to UNRWA would worsen the situation in Gaza. UNRWA provides basic food to 1.3 million people in the Gaza Strip 4 million doctor visits annually to Gaza residents and employs 12000 teachers who teach about 300000 children.
While aid to UNRWA is more significant than the USAID the cessation of the activities of both agencies will lead to a decline in the humanitarian situation in the Strip and even to its collapse.
Such developments have prompted Israeli officials to warn that Israel would pay the price in terms of sanitation security and economy.
