US provides $35 billion defence aid to Israel – cuts $25 million hospital aid to Palestinians

US House of Representatives have passed a measure on Wednesday, which will become law, to provide $38 billion defence aid to Israel.

Called U.S.-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act of 2018, the law cannot be repealed by future US Presidents.

According to Forward, “The act also expands a stockpile of weapons that the United States keeps in Israel, which may access the stockpile in wartime. It also enhances Israel’s qualitative military edge and urges space research cooperation between Israel and the United States.”

A few days earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump has withdrawn $25 million aid, earmarked for the health care of Palestinians in East Jerusalem hospitals, to be reallocated somewhere else.

“As a result of that review, at the direction of the President, we will be redirecting approximately $25 million originally planned for the East Jerusalem Hospital Network,” the State Department official said. “Those funds will go to high-priority projects elsewhere.”