Palestinians Struggle Under Aid Withdrawal

NPR | By Eric Westervelt

Published May 4, 2006 at 4:00 PM EDT

Because Hamas is listed as a terrorist group, the USAID has had to shut down a big project in the West Bank and Gaza aimed at helping the Palestinian economy develop viable private-sector markets and boost job creation.

The withdrawal of support has been a major blow to Palestinians, long dependent on foreign aid, whose only job-creation engine for years has been the corrupt Palestinian Authority.

For example, USAID money planned for educating businessmen, bankers, brokers and investors on building a better stock exchange and expanding markets will now go to NGOs for direct humanitarian food aid.

Eric Westervelt

Eric Westervelt is a San Francisco-based senior editor-correspondent for NPR's National Desk.

See stories by Eric Westervelt

Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that Connecticut Public relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

Donate

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

Donate