Confusion over Obama’s final payment to Palestinian Authority

A Palestinian Authority (PA) official close to President Mahmoud Abbas has claimed that a $221 million American aid package authorised in Barack Obama’s final hours in the White House has already been received.

“We have already received the last sum assigned by Obama’s administration. They have transferred this money,” Husam Zomlot told the RIA Novosti news agency. He clarified that he was indeed referring to the $221 million payment.

Earlier reports said that the Trump administration had frozen the transfer of the payment, according to an unnamed Palestinian source cited by The Times of Israel.

The State Department was also said to be “reviewing” the “last-minute decision by former Secretary of State John Kerry to send $221 million dollars to the Palestinians late last week over the objections of congressional Republicans.”

An AP report this week stated that the department said “it would look at the payment and might make adjustments to ensure it comports with the Trump administration’s priorities.”

Former US Secretary of State John Kerry “formally notified Congress that State would release the money Friday morning, just hours before President Donald Trump took the oath of office.”

AP notes how “Congress had initially approved the Palestinian funding in budget years 2015 and 2016, but at least two GOP lawmakers…had placed holds on it over moves the Palestinian Authority had taken to seek membership in international organizations.”