Washington -- The U.S. government and a humanitarian organization devoted to helping the Palestinian people have established a mechanism to channel private American donations into programs that benefit the Palestinians.

A memorandum of understanding was signed August 1 in Washington by the administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Henrietta Fore, and Ziad Asali, the founder and chairman of the American Charities for Palestine.

"The arrangement is the first mechanism of its kind, and we are very proud of this historic step. American Charities for Palestine (ACP) will raise American charitable contributions and will work with USAID to direct these funds to support ongoing projects in the field," Fore said.

The USAID-ACP partnership will assure that philanthropic contributions are not diverted into the hands opponents of peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

"Through ACP, and as a result of this memorandum of understanding, generous Americans can donate to Palestinian development with confidence that their money will go to worthwhile projects in accordance with U.S. law," Asali said. "Today is the first step. Our immediate next step is to finalize robust administrative and financial structures to carry our mission forward," he added.

The private donations will be used mainly for health and education projects, according to Fore and Asali.

"Whether it is our emergency medical assistance programs, maternal and child health care programs, our early education activities, or the education initiatives that are part of the U.S.-Palestinian Partnership, USAID is actively committed to improving the lives of Palestinians," Fore said.

Asali said the health and education sectors are "essential for building the foundations of a Palestinian state as part of realizing the visions of an end of conflict based on two states - Palestine and Israel - living side by side in peace and security."

Since 1993, Palestinians have received more than $1.7 billion in U.S. economic assistance via USAID projects, more than from any other donor country. The money spent on health and education accounts for 13 percent of the total. Water sanitation and infrastructure have absorbed 42 percent of the spending; economic growth, 15 percent; democracy and governance, 13 percent; other purposes, 17 percent.

ACP is a sister organization to the American Task Force on Palestine, which was founded by Asali in 2003. The task force is a nonpartisan group dedicated to bringing lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians and to the creation of a Palestinian state.

In a speech to the task force in 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said: "I believe that there could be no greater legacy for America than to help to bring into being a Palestinian state for a people who have suffered too long, who have been humiliated too long, who have not reached their potential for too long, and who have so much to give to the international community and to all of us. I promise you my personal commitment to that goal." (See "Rice Affirms U.S. Commitment to Creation of a Palestinian State ( http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2006/October/20061012125728nd... ).")