Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
High Representative for European Foreign Policy Josep Borrell said: The adoption of the UN Security Council resolution on increasing humanitarian assistance in Gaza is crucial, first and foremost for civilians. According to what was reported by European Union spokesman Louis Bueno in a post on the “X | Today” website, the European official added, “I welcome the emphasis on the need to respect international humanitarian law and move towards a sustainable cessation of hostilities.”
This came as the European Commission approved an aid package worth 118.4 million euros to support the Palestinian Authority as part of the annual allocation for Palestine in 2023.
A European statement said that through the European Union's PEGASE mechanism, the new financial assistance approved will contribute to paying the salaries and pensions of civil servants in the West Bank, social allowances for vulnerable families through the cash transfer program in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and paying the salaries of civil servants in West Bank. Medical referrals to East Jerusalem hospitals and supporting the administrative and technical capabilities of Palestinian Authority institutions.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: The situation in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is very worrying. We have already quadrupled our humanitarian aid to Gaza. After a careful review of our finances, we are also announcing much-needed assistance to the Palestinian Authority. The European Union remains the largest international donor of aid to the Palestinians, and we are already thinking about 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 permit, as part of broader international efforts to restore the two-state solution.”
EU Neighborhood and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi said: “This short-term package will provide direct EU financial support to the Palestinian Authority of around €118 million to cover payments for 2024. This package should contribute to stabilizing the Palestinian situation.” authority. “I hope this will also provide a signal to help rally other donors and the international community.”