The Trump administration announced Tuesday that it is withholding funding for a controversial U.N. refugee agency for Palestinians — but has not cut funding to the organization completely.
The State Department confirmed Tuesday that the U.S. is withholding $65 million of a planned $125 million installment to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, which provides health care, loans and other social services to Palestinian refugees in the region.
The U.S. gives approximately $364 million to UNRWA every year — making the U.S. the biggest contributor to the organization.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert described the $65 million as “frozen and being held for future consideration.” She told reporters that the U.S. wants to see “revisions” in how UNRWA operates but would not be drawn into specifics.
