Australia ends direct aid to Palestinian Authority

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Australia on Monday announced that it had ended direct aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) government over concerns the funds could be used to assist Palestinians convicted of political violence.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Monday that funding to a World Bank’s trust fund was cut after she wrote to the Palestinian Authority in late May seeking assurance that Australian funding was not being misspent.

She said in a statement she’s concerned that providing further funds allows the authority to use its own budget to spend on activities that “Australia would never support.”

Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop /VCG Photo

"I wrote to the Palestinian Authority on May 29, to seek clear assurance that Australian funding is not being used to assist Palestinians convicted of politically motivated violence," Bishop said in a statement.

"I am confident that previous Australian funding to the PA through the World Bank has been used as intended," Bishop said. "However, I am concerned that in providing funds for this aspect of the PA's operations there is an opportunity for it to use its own budget to activities that Australia would never support," she continued.

Australia’s 10 million Australian dollar ($7.4 million) donation to the trust fund would now be re-routed to the United Nations’ Humanitarian Fund for the Palestinian Territories, which provides vulnerable Palestinians with health care, food, water, improved sanitation, and shelter.

(With input from agencies)