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EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana (file)
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| By Israel Insider staff June 18, 2007 |
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EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana announced Monday that direct aid will be reinstated to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' new government headed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
Solana, who was speaking at an EU foreign ministers' meeting did not specify when the aid would be restarted.
Concerning Palestinians in the Gaza Strip under Hamas power, Solana said that the EU would use other means, such as existing organizations or the UN, as a way to deliver aid while bypassing Hamas.
"In order to help the Palestinian people in Gaza, we will need some mechanism that cannot be a direct support," as Hamas has promised to destroy Israel, said Solana.
Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn also voiced concern over the Palestinians in Gaza.
"We absolutely have to back" the new West Bank government, he said. "The question of today is: How can we help the 1.4 million people in Gaza?"
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who chaired the meeting, blamed Hamas for recent events.
"I think that it is mainly to Hamas that we have to look when we have to point the finger at someone," Steinmeier said.
The EU, US and other countries froze aid to the PA in March 2006 after Hamas came to power. The international boycott of Hamas calls on the group to denounce violence, recognize Israel, and accept prior peace negotiations.
During the boycott, the EU continued to deliver aid to Palestinians via a temporary program. Through this program, which may be continued for Gazans, the EU has given nearly ?700 million in aid for Palestinians in addition to aid given through UN relief agencies.
The EU foreign ministers are also to meet with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni Monday, which was scheduled before Hamas' takeover of the Gaza Strip Friday.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has announced that Israel will be releasing frozen tax revenues to Abbas' government.
The US also is expected to reinstate aid to Abbas' government next week, in an effort to bolster the new government and isolate Hamas.
There is some doubt, however, of this plan to support Abbas' new government in the effort to hurt the Hamas-lead Gaza government.
"The question is whether it is positive to distinguish between the good guys on one side, and the bad guys on the other. We want to avoid partition," said one EU official. |
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