The European Union approves 118 million euros in aid to the Palestinian Authority
The European Commission announced on Friday that it had approved an aid package worth 118 million euros to support the Palestinian Authority.
The Authority confirmed that this assistance will contribute to paying the salaries and pensions of civil service employees in the West Bank, social benefits to vulnerable families, and paying medical transfers to East Jerusalem hospitals. Neither hospitals in the West Bank nor those in Gaza – which are now almost completely out of service due to the Israeli military offensive – even before the war were able to treat serious cases of diseases such as cancer.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the European Union is also ready to continue supporting the Palestinian Authority in the long term.
He added: “We are considering a broader medium-term package for next year to contribute to economic and political stability in Gaza and the West Bank, as soon as conditions on the ground allow, as part of international efforts to restore the two-state solution.” Von der Leyen’s statement reads, referring to the project to create a Palestinian state alongside Israel.
By 2024, the European Union has also allocated €125 million in humanitarian aid to the besieged population of Gaza. For his part, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, pointed to the serious humanitarian situation in the Palestinian sector, specifically to the food shortage, which “has reached unprecedented levels,” he said.
He added: “This is a serious event and should serve as a wake-up call to the entire world to act now and avoid a deadly humanitarian catastrophe.” Borrell stressed that aid “must reach those in need by all necessary means, including humanitarian corridors and breaks for humanitarian needs.” (Reuters)
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