On Thursday, Friedman wrote on Twitter that he was pleased that the US was giving $5 million to Palestinian hospitals and households for meeting immediate, life-saving needs in combating COVID-19.
"He is lying, we don't know where they are going to spend them but not for the Palestinian health care or Palestinian hospitals. The one who wants to donate can go directly to the representative of the Palestinian people and to say: 'I want to resume my help, I was wrong.' The United States gave nothing to the Palestinian people, we didn't get a cent," Harfi said.
The diplomat said that the US gave $3.5 million to NGOs that work with Washington.
"[The US] gave 3.5 million for the NGOs which work for the United States. The United States didn't resume its support to the World Health organization as well so they cannot pretend as Mr. Friedman said that they gave something to Palestinians," Harfi pointed out, referring to Trump's decision to cut funding to the World Health Organization amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump, who has been a critic of the World Health Organization's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, announced halting funding for the UN agency earlier in April.
Harfi recalled that in 2018, the Trump administration decided to cut more than $200 million in aid to Palestinians.
Also, in 2018, it cut financial aid for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Trump has been criticized for jeopardizing Palestinians' ability to cope with the pandemic and putting the global health response at risk by halting US funding to the UN-led agencies.
