A new report from Palestinian Media Watch draws long-overdue attention to the problem of USAID support for Palestinian institutions that promote terrorism: Report: U.S. Government Funds Terrorism. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)

WASHINGTON - An Israeli watchdog group alleges that American aid to Palestinian universities and cities promotes terrorism.

A report to be released Friday by Palestinian Media Watch singles out the U.S. Agency for International Development, contending that it has ignored new congressional restrictions that the group helped craft last year on aid money. Specifically, the report points to American development assistance in the West Bank and Gaza that funds universities with student chapters of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which have funded roadwork for streets renamed to commemorate suicide bombers and television programming that encourages hatred of Jews.

A USAID spokeswoman yesterday said that procedures are in place to make sure that in-kind donations to Palestinian institutions are not diverted to terrorism. But the report has already drawn attention from Capitol Hill, where Palestinian Media Watch’s director, Itamar Marcus, is scheduled to testify Friday before the House International Relations Committee on his findings.

When asked for a comment on the report yesterday, Rep. Nita Lowey, a New York Democrat who drafted the tighter restrictions last year from her post in the House Appropriations Committee, said USAID must respond to Palestinian Media Watch’s allegations.

“I am very disturbed by the findings of this report, particularly the widespread nature of the alleged violations,” she said. “I will ask USAID to provide Congress with a detailed response to these findings immediately. This report cannot go unanswered by the leadership of USAID.”