JERUSALEM _ Palestine News Network
Officials in Palestinian hospitals in Jerusalem criticized the US administration´s decision to suspend financial aid.
They told a press conference, held in Jerusalem, that the effects of the decision would be a "catastrophic", calling on Washington to undo the decision.
Bassam Abu Libdeh, director of the Islamic Charitable purposes hospital in Jerusalem, said in a statement read at the press conference today on behalf of hospitals: "We regret such a decision by the US administration, which has a significant negative impact on the availability of cash in these hospitals, which in turn will cause delays in Provide vital therapeutic services that are only available in these hospitals. "
"Overall, this decision will have a negative impact on the lives of five million Palestinians," he said at a press conference held at the USTA Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.
The US State Department announced Friday that it had withheld 25 million US dollars, which it was scheduled to offer as assistance to the six Palestinian hospitals in Jerusalem.
The hospitals of East Jerusalem are: Al-Maqamat Islamic Charitable Society Hospital, Red Crescent Hospital, St John Eye Hospital, Princess Basma Foundation, Saint Joseph Hospital (fame: French) and the USTA Victoria Hospital-Insider.
"The network of East Jerusalem Hospitals appeals to the Palestinian Government, the United States Congress and the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and do everything possible to deal with this dangerous situation caused by the cutting of U.S. funding," Abu Libdeh said.
The debt owed by the Palestinian Health Ministry amounts to nearly $80 million, he said.
Walid Nammour, General executive director of Al-Insider hospital, said the US decision "represents a difficult day for health institutions in the city of Jerusalem specifically."
However, at the same press conference, the Palestinian Authority "pledged to hospitals to fill the fiscal deficit resulting from the US decision."
In less than a month, the US administration has stopped its assistance to the United Nations Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the Jerusalem hospitals, as well as the suspension of aid of more than 200 million US dollars for the Palestinian people.
The successive US resolutions came after the Palestinians rejected the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to transfer the US embassy to the city.
