Report Contents
Introduction
The 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act required the U.S. Department of State (Department), Office of Inspector General (State OIG) as one of “the Inspectors General with authority to conduct oversight of programs carried out in the Middle East” to coordinate and submit plans for conducting risk-based investigations and related oversight of U.S.- funded implementing partners, including subawards, in the West Bank and Gaza.
According to the Act, plans should focus on, but not be limited to: 1. Responding to reports of material support or the employment of staff or contractors who are members of, or are affiliated with, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization or have participated in any terrorist act. 2. Ensuring compliance with existing, and making recommendations to improve, risk-mitigation measures necessary to protect taxpayer funds, complying with applicable statutory and award-based provisions, and ensuring that intended beneficiaries receive aid in accordance with core humanitarian principles.
Oversight of the response by the Department and the U.S. Agency for Global Media to the situation in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank, and wider region is a leading priority for State OIG. Since the October 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks, the Department increased its diplomatic efforts, security assistance, and other engagement in the region. The ensuing conflict sparked further violence in the Middle East, heightened security concerns, added to assistance requirements in the region, and influenced Department and interagency operations.
Through oversight and investigative activities, State OIG helps to ensure that taxpayer money is used properly; programs achieve intended outcomes; and risks, including fraud, corruption, and mismanagement, are identified and mitigated. We regularly coordinate with oversight partners including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) OIG and the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to promote effective coverage of leading risks associated with the broader U.S. government response, including our plans for work in the West Bank and Gaza. This plan highlights State OIG’s ongoing and future engagements in the Middle East region in response to the requirement, as established by the Act.