Trump to Sign Executive Order Stopping Funds to UN Agencies that Recognize the Palestinian Authority as Member

Pres. Donald Trump is poised to issue an executive order that will defund United Nations agencies and other international organizations that recognize the Palestinian Authority or Palestine Liberation Organization as a member.

The draft order, called 'Auditing and Reducing U.S. Funding of International Organizations,' specifies that international organizations providing membership to the Palestinian authority or supporting programs that fund abortion would be subject to up to 40 percent deduction of U.S. aid, according to The New York Times.  

Likewise, international organizations that are "controlled or substantially influenced by any state that sponsors terrorism" or bypass sanctions for Iran or North Korea would have a 40 percent cut on U.S. funding.

The draft order recommends the formation of a committee that will determine where to cut the funds. The committee will also consider the funds for countries opposing "important" U.S. policies, the United Nations Population Fund, the International Criminal Court and peacekeeping efforts.

If the executive order is signed, U.N. agencies could experience a drastic decrease in their budgets, particularly when  the U.S., the highest contributor to the U.N., pays 22 percent of the agency's core budget and 28 percent of its peacekeeping budget.  

In December, the U.N. passed Resolution 2334, which declares that, according to international law, Jewish settlements in "Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem" are "illegal" and violate international laws. It also orders Israel to cease all activity in the area.

The resolution was passed with a 14-0 vote. Of the five member nations that have permanent vetoing power at the U.N. Security Council, four (the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China) voted in favor of the resolution. The U.S. under Pres. Barack Obama, which also has vetoing power, abstained but did not veto the resolution like it had previously done for similar resolutions under past administrations.

Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor and Trump's appointed U.S. ambassador to the U.N., condemned the passing of Resolution 2334.

"The world wants to see a strong America," Haley said. "That's what they were used to. That has faded, and it hit the ultimate low with [United Nations Security Council] Resolution 2334."

"Last month's passage of Resolution 2334 was a terrible mistake, making a peace agreement with the Israelis and the Palestinians even harder to achieve."

Trump is also set to approve an executive order titled 'Moratorium on New Multilateral Treaties' to review various treaties not "directly related to national security, extradition or international trade." The purpose is to know which of these treaties the U.S. can leave.