© 2025 WGCU News
PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Palestinians Struggle Under Aid Withdrawal

By Eric Westervelt
Published May 4, 2006 at 4:00 PM EDT

Because Hamas is listed as a terrorist group, the USAID has had to shut down a big project in the West Bank and Gaza aimed at helping the Palestinian economy develop viable private-sector markets and boost job creation.

The withdrawal of support has been a major blow to Palestinians, long dependent on foreign aid, whose only job-creation engine for years has been the corrupt Palestinian Authority.

For example, USAID money planned for educating businessmen, bankers, brokers and investors on building a better stock exchange and expanding markets will now go to NGOs for direct humanitarian food aid.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Tags
National News
Eric Westervelt
Eric Westervelt is a San Francisco-based correspondent for NPR's National Desk. He has reported on major events for the network from wars and revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa to historic wildfires and terrorist attacks in the U.S.
See stories by Eric Westervelt
Trusted by over 30,000 local subscribers

Local News, Right Sized for Your Morning

Quick briefs when you are busy, deeper explainers when it matters, delivered early morning and curated by WGCU editors.

  • Environment
  • Local politics
  • Health
  • And more

Free and local. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

More from WGCU
  • True Tours brings Fort Myers’ past — and its spirits — to life
    Samuel Brucker
    Florida is the land of sunshine and good vibes, but when the sun goes down on Downtown Fort Myers, something ghastly takes over. The waterside community is home to spiritual abnormalities that have caused spine-tingling reactions for decades.WGCU’s Samuel Brucker took part in a Historic Downtown Tour to learn the horrific stories that have turned into urban legend and have given a taste of the macabre to Southwest Florida.
  • Environment
    The Exotic Invasive Thorn Bug – Here to Stay
    Dr. Jerry Jackson
    Adult Thorn Bugs are half-inch long insects that are “true bugs” (members of the insect Family Membracidae). They are native to South America, Central America, and many tropical islands. As with other members of this family, Thorn Bugs have sucking mouthparts that allow them to pierce plant tissues and drink plant sap. As a result, Thorn Bugs can cause the death of some twigs and potentially introduce diseases to the plant. However, in most cases, Thorn Bug populations are very low and damage caused by thorn bugs is minimal. The good news is that these insects do not feed on most native North American trees. Thorn bugs are an exotic invasive species in Florida that was likely introduced long ago along with an exotic tree species such as the Earleaf Acacia.Even today these insects feed primarily on exotic invasive trees and shrubs imported from tropical areas.
  • Jonathan Martinescu of Fort Myers, credits an oversized spoon to helping him expertly crack a stone crab claw during Saturday’s 14th annual Stone Crab Eating Contest at Keys Fisheries in Marathon, Fla., Nov. 1, 2025. Martinescu’s “big spoon” strategy helped him win first place with a time of 9 minutes and 46 seconds in the quirky event that kicks off the Florida Keys’ stone crab season.
    Human Interest
    Fort Myers man wins stone crab eating contest in the Florida Keys
    Florida Keys News
    70 competitors vied for tasty title in annual stone crab season tradition.