Has Donald Trump Abandoned the Palestinians?
What do the cuts to USAID mean for Palestinians and Israel?

The U.S. State Department informed USAID that 60 percent of its employees will be dismissed as the first step in a shutdown that will be finalized by 2019. The White House says the decision will force Palestinians to the negotiating table to talk peace with Israel. But could Donald Trump's hardline approach also lead to more poverty and unrest in the region? Matthew RJ Brodsky joins Dave Harden, the former senior USAID official covering West Bank and Gaza, and Jennifer Atala, former senior manager with USAID in the West Bank and Gaza for a spirited panel discussion on TRT World's "The Newsmakers," anchored by Imran Garda.

Brodsky explains that the U.S. has not received a good return on its investment.

America shouldn't keep the Palestinians on welfare, which underwrites the creation of mythologies, fictions, rejectionism, and obstruction. Other countries in the region can chip in to make up the difference if they are complaining and while they're at it, they can stop hosting and funding Hamas, which is dedicated to Israel's destruction.

At the heart of this debate lies a central theme: We've tried an approach and it has failed. Only a fool would throw good money after bad and expect a better result. It's time for something different.