Donald Trump freezes Barack Obama’s $221 million payment to the Palestinian Authority

  A couple of days ago we learned that, in a final slap in the face to Israel, Barack Obama freed up $221 million to the Palestinian Authority just hours before leaving office. The money has not yet been sent and today Donald Trump froze the funds pending further review by the State Department.

  Here is more:

The State Department is reviewing a last-minute decision by former Secretary of State John Kerry to send $221 million dollars to the Palestinians late last week over the objections of congressional Republicans.

The department said Tuesday it would look at the payment, one of the Obama administration’s final acts in office, and might make adjustments to ensure it comports with the Trump administration’s priorities.

Kerry formally notified Congress that State would release the money Friday morning, just hours before President Donald Trump’s inauguration.

   This seems to me to be similar to Donald Trump’s order to build the wall on the Southern border using money which was already allocated, however this case is slightly different: while the Congress allotted the money to be sent to the Palestinian Authority there was a block placed on the funds whereas in the case for the border wall there was not. Because of this it looks to me as if Donald Trump had the authority to spend the border money where Barack Obama did not have the authority to send the money to the Palestinian Authority. 

  It is going to be interesting to see how this plays out…

malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium