Today our team in Israel and Palestine received this message from USAID:
Dear Partner:
Your award is being terminated for convenience and the interests of the U.S. Government pursuant to a directive from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in his capacity as the Acting Administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development…Secretary Rubio and PTDO Deputy Administrator Marocco have determined your award is not aligned with Agency priorities and made a determination that continuing this program is not in the national interest….
Thank you for partnering with USAID and God Bless America.
The Parents Circle’s USAID grant was $540,000 of which $100,000 was awarded, leaving a shortfall of $440,000 for our organization. The grant was for our Public Voices for Change program, working to amplify young leaders’ voices for nonviolence in Israeli and Palestinian societies.
We are working collectively under the guidance of the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP) to try to identify other sources of funding.
We need your support to continue our Public Voices for Change program that brings together Israelis and Palestinians. It is especially critical in this junction of the fragile ceasefire.
