US and Israeli Governments ‘punish’ our partners

The withholding by Israel of tax revenues from the Palestinian Authority (PA) has left many of our partners in the West Bank who rely on PA funding reeling, after the previous news – revealed by BibleLands last month - that USAID has also stopped funding Palestinian projects. Both decisions have been presented as ‘punishment’ for Palestine’s statehood bid in the UN and its successful membership bid in UNESCO. The vulnerable and disadvantaged will suffer the most. Children, the elderly and disabled people will see their services disappear.

We have already heard from three of our partners, all focused on helping disabled children and adults, that their ability to deliver services will be curtailed. Jeremy Moodey, our Chief Executive, has already written to the Foreign Office and US Ambassador to protest at these decisions and to urge that the US and Israeli Governments have compassion and reinstate funding.

You too can help us highlight the plight of our partners by:

• Writing to your MP

The following is a shorter version of the wording in Jeremy’s letters. It will be more effective if you adapt the wording as more personalised letters or emails will have more impact. Put your postcode in the "Contact your Politician" envelope below to find and email your MP.

I was horrified to learn that social care NGOs in Palestine are to lose vital funding because of the decision of the US and Israeli governments to ‘punish’ the Palestinians for their statehood bid in the UN and successful membership application to UNESCO. Israel announced that it was withholding tax revenues totalling $100 million a month from the Palestinian Authority, some of which is passed on to NGOs, and USAID has frozen its funding of Palestinian NGOs. Both actions will damage Palestinian civil society at the very time when we should be building it up. Some of the projects affected, such as the Princess Basma Centre for Disabled Children on the Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem, the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation and the Four Homes of Mercy in Bethany, are Palestinian Christian projects serving the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society, including disabled children and adults. I know that the UK abstained on the Palestinian UNESCO bid, but I would ask you to urge the British Government to put pressure on the United States and Israel to have compassion and reinstate funding to these vital projects.

• Financially supporting our appeal which targets projects in the areas affected by the funding withdrawal

• Following us on Facebook and twitter – keep up to date with the latest information