White House accused of endorsing Palestinian displacement in budget request

The Biden administration has asked Congress to fund the “potential needs of Gazans fleeing to neighboring countries”, part of a $105bn request made last week which also includes money for Israel and Ukraine.

In a 20 October letter, the Office of Budget and Management said the current crisis “could well result in displacement across border and higher regional humanitarian needs and funding may be used to meet evolving programming requirements outside of Gaza”.

For many, in light of an American push earlier this month for Egypt to open a humanitarian corridor and the reluctance of US officials to call for Israeli restraint, it suggests the White House is endorsing the mass displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.

“This is diabolical really. They should know better,” Hanan Ashrawi, a former leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, told Middle East Eye.

“This is justifying ethnic cleansing. They know very well that neither Egypt will accept them, nor Jordan, nor will the Palestinians leave. So this is really encouraging Israel to continue with its genocidal plans and measures.”

You can read MEE senior investigations editor Dania Akkad's full story below. 

Read more: White House accused of endorsing Palestinian displacement in budget request