RAMALLAH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Palestinians held a protest in front of the America House in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday, against the "U.S. financial blackmail policy" after its decision to cut all aid to the Palestinians by the end of January.
The protesters raised slogans such as "our rights are not subject to blackmail," calling on the Palestinian Authority to shut down U.S.-related offices in the West Bank.
Issam Baker, coordinator for National and Islamic Factions in Ramallah City, told Xinhua that the United States "is practising the policy of blackmailing and trying to bargain with the Palestinians over their rights."
"Our rights are not for bargain and the Palestinian Authority must take steps, including shutting down all conditional funding agencies," he said.
However, Palestinian security forces deployed around the building banned protesters from approaching it by placing mobile metal gates.
According to Baker, Palestinian factions have organized at least four protests against the America House in the past three months.
Mustafa Barghouti, secretary general of Palestinian National Initiative party, said the protest comes in support of the Palestinian Authority which is rejecting the U.S. role in the region.
Barghouti said the conditional U.S. aid has been an obstacle to the growth of Palestinian economy "because many of the USAID projects were not really benefitting the people."
More than 50 percent of the aid went back to the United States in the form of administrative expenses and there were many conditions about how to use the money, he noted.
By the end of January, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will shut down all its offices in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in a punitive step to pressure the Palestinians to return to peace talks.
The Palestinians have been boycotting the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump since it recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moved its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem in May 2018.
