"If it is that important to Netanyahu, he should pay them," Trump reportedly told his advisers at the prospect.

Several months ago, President Trump rejected a request by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to allow US aid to be transferred to Palestinian Authority security forces, Channel 13’s Barak Ravid reported in Axios.

According to the report, while the White House has gradually cut all funding to the PA over the last two years - with the encouragement of Israel - around 6 months ago the State Department realized that $12 million in aid to PA security forces had not been cut, but hadn’t been transferred, either.

Israeli officials requested from their US counterparts that the money be transferred to PA security forces, “which work hand in hand” with Israel in Judea and Samaria, according to the report. They were told that, as Trump’s policy was to cut funding to the PA, such a decision would have to be cleared by Trump himself.

When senior White House officials raised the issue with Trump, the president pushed back, saying that the policy was to halt aid to the PA as long as it refused to engage with the administration.

When they noted that the issue was "very important for Netanyahu,” Trump reportedly replied, "If it is that important to Netanyahu he should pay the Palestinians $12 million."

The money was never transferred, according to the report.