Congress has released $108 million in blocked aid to the Palestinians, Al-Monitor has learned, allowing payments to the Palestinian Authority's creditors to continue.

Key lawmakers had placed holds on $159 million in aid since last fall, Al-Monitor reported April 18, to protest the Palestinians' UN statehood bid and payments to the families of people who conduct attacks against Israelis. Most of those holds were lifted late last week following growing pressure from the State Department, however, leaving only $51 million in blocked aid.

"We continue to believe that US assistance to the Palestinian Authority has played a valuable role in promoting stability and prosperity not just for the Palestinians, but for Israel as well," a State Department official told Al-Monitor. "This assistance has supported security coordination between Israel and the Palestinians, which has been instrumental in preserving security in the West Bank and Israel, and reducing threats to Israelis and Palestinians alike."

The holds had been placed by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., and foreign aid appropriations subcommittee Chairwoman Kay Granger, R-Texas. Their release had been in the works for weeks, a congressional aide told Al-Monitor, and came through after Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Anne Patterson testified before Congress last week.