The United States today provided $150 million in budgetary support to the Palestinian Authority, doubling the sum it originally pledged last year, US Consul Jake Walles said.
Mr Walles said the payment to the cash-strapped Palestinian Authority reflected Washington's commitment to achieving a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"Prime Minister (Salam) Fayyad and his government have undertaken a series of important and difficult financial reforms that promote transparency and accountability," he said.
The $150 million comes in addition to the $150 million originally pledged by the United States at an international donors conference in Paris last year. Its overall aid to the Palestinians reached $700 million in 2008.
The international community has pledged $7.4 billion in aid to the Palestinian Authority to support Fayyad's three-year reform and development plan. Walles said more than $1.5 billion has been paid in 2008.
The aid is to help boost the Palestinian private sector and pay the salaries of tens of thousands of government employees.