Middle East cooperation grants cancelled

By Marc Rod
Jewish Insider
March 7, 2025

"The Middle East Regional Cooperation program (MERC), a long-standing grant program supporting scientific collaboration between Israel and Arab states, was among those terminated when the Trump administration abruptly shuttered the U.S. Agency for International Development…

"The MERC program dates back to 1979, when it was created by Congress to contribute to Israeli-Egyptian relations following the Camp David Accords. The program grew to include Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Lebanon, the West Bank and Gaza.

"'The overall goal of the MERC Program is to promote research, scientific exchange, capacity building, and development cooperation between Israel and its regional neighbors in support of locally-developed solutions for common regional challenges and a comprehensive and lasting Middle East peace,' a notice of funding opportunity for the program reads…

"At least $58 million in programs under the Middle East Partnership for Peace Act, for programs including Israeli-Palestinian cooperation on issues including nursing, mental health, technology, youth athletics and other areas, were canceled.

"At least $1 billion in humanitarian and development funding for the West Bank and Gaza is also listed as impacted by the USAID shutdown, as well as $380 million in various forms of assistance for Lebanon; $550 million primarily for food, medical, sanitation and other basic assistance in Syria; $183 million for programs in Yemen; and around $1 billion for programs including education, health and other assistance in Jordan…"

About Heart of a Nation

Empowering the next generation of American, Israeli, and Palestinian change-makers to embrace better, together.

אנחנו מכנסים הוגים מובילים, פעילים חברתיים, ומחוללי שינוי לעתיד, אמריקאים, ישראלים ופלסטינאים, המחויבים לשיפור החברות שלהם.

نحن أمريكيون وإسرائيليون وفلسطينيون نبني ونكوّن روابط من أجل التعلم والتفكير والمشاركة معًا حتى نشجع الحلول التقدمية بشأن القضايا التي تهمنا جميعًا.