West Bank: Agency and State Department

west bank: The letter also makes clear that additional U.S. donations will be contingent on major changes by UNRWA, which has been heavily criticized by Israel, according to Toronto Star. We would like to see some reforms be made, said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert, adding that changes are needed both to the way the agency operates and is funded. In a letter, the State Department notified the UN Relief and Works Agency that the U.S. is withholding 65 million of a planned 125 million funding instalment to the body. This is not aimed at punishing anyone. The agency focuses on providing health care, education and social services to Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Read more Israelis voice warnings, Palestinians talk of blackmail' after Trump threatens to cut funding Article Continued Below Israeli leaders criticize Palestinian president for fiery anti-Trump speech Trump threatens to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinian Authority in series of tweets The State Department said it was releasing the rest of the instalment 60 million to prevent the agency from running out of cash by the end of the month and closing down. react-empty 163 The U.S. is UNWRA's largest donor, supplying nearly 30 per cent of its budget. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.