The Trump administration has suspended all funding to Palestinian Authority security forces as part of a broader freeze on foreign assistance, The Washington Post reported Wednesday, citing US and Palestinian officials.
The funding suspension comes at a particularly challenging time for the Palestinian Authority (PA), which faces mounting pressures in maintaining control over areas of the West Bank while positioning itself for potential governance responsibilities in Gaza after the war, according to The Washington Post.
"The US was considered a big donor to the PA projects," Brig. Gen. Anwar Rajab, spokesman for the Palestinian security forces, told The Washington Post, noting these projects included security and empowerment training for the forces.
A former Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the topic, indicated the PA security forces have not been "affected in any meaningful way" by the freeze, stating that other donors have committed to covering the shortfall.
However, the impact is already visible in certain areas. A colonel who directs training at the PA's Central Training Institute for security forces told The Washington Post that some training programs have been cut. Speaking anonymously per office protocol, he revealed that a planned meeting with US officials to evaluate PA operations targeting fighters in the Jenin refugee camp has been postponed indefinitely.
The colonel also noted that a US-funded virtual shooting range project, necessary because Israel restricts the import of live ammunition for training, now requires alternative funding despite being near completion.
The Biden administration has expressed support for the PA's return to Gaza, a position that faces opposition from both Israel and Hamas, The Washington Post reported. Meanwhile, the PA, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, continues to pay partial salaries to its West Bank employees, including security personnel.
