Middle East latest: US suspension of funds leaves UN health operations in Gaza in limbo

A Trump administration move to suspend funding to the World Health Organization has frozen $46 million for its operations in Gaza, a top WHO official said Tuesday.

Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO representative for Occupied Palestinian Territories, said the freezing would leave six areas underfunded, including EMT operations, rehabilitation of health facilities, coordination with partner organizations and medical evacuations.

In Lebanon, new Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that only the country’s armed forces should defend the nation in case of war.

Many in Lebanon have been calling on Hezbollah to disarm, particularly following its latest war with Israel that stopped when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect on Nov. 27 and Israeli troops withdrew from most of southern Lebanon.

Here's the latest:

Lebanon's prime minister says only armed forces can defend the nation

Lebanon’s new prime minister has read his government policy statement stating that only the country’s armed forces should defend the nation in case of war.

Nawaf Salam was picked to form a new government last month after a devastating war between Israel and Hezbollah that killed over 4,000 people and caused widespread destruction.

Hezbollah has kept its weapons over the past decades saying it is necessary to defend Lebanon against Israel. But many in Lebanon have been calling on the group to disarm, and such calls intensified during the latest war that stopped when a U.S.-brokered ceasefire went into effect on Nov. 27.

Salam said Tuesday that the government asserts that Lebanon has the right to defend itself in case of “aggression” and only the state has the right to have weapons. He also said that the government takes measures to liberate land occupied by Israel “through its forces only.”

Trump administration's suspension of funds to WHO freezes $46 million for Gaza

A Trump administration move to suspend funding to the World Health Organization has frozen $46 million for its operations in Gaza, a top WHO official in the region said Tuesday.

Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO representative for Occupied Palestinian Territories, said the “freezing” would leave six areas underfunded, including EMT operations, rehabilitation of health facilities, coordination with partner organizations, and medical evacuation operations.

Speaking from Gaza to reporters a U.N. briefing in Geneva, Peeperkorn said money for such operations remained in WHO’s funding pipeline and “we’re still going full steam ahead” with activities.

Tarik Jasarevic, a WHO spokesman, said he did not have figures about how the U.S. funding cuts affected the entirety of its operations worldwide.