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British Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander. (AP)
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Last update - 03:18 11/12/2007
U.K. pledges $500M in aid to PA if peace process successful
By Reuters
Tags: aid, economy 

Britain on Monday said it will give the Palestinian Authority $500 million in aid, if peace moves prove successful.

"We are willing to pledge an amount up to 243 million pounds, around $500 million, over the next three years on the basis of progress we wish to see coming out of the Annapolis conference," British Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander said.

Alexander spoke to reporters after meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank and Israeli officials in Jerusalem.
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Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad will ask donor states at a conference in Paris on December 17 to pledge $5.5 billion over three years in budgetary and development aid as part of the building process of the future Palestinian state under negotiation between Israel and the Palestinians.

The conference is the first forum for international donor states to make pledges to the Palestinian Authority since 1996.

Alexander said the U.S.-sponsored peace conference at Annapolis, Maryland last month, which launched formal peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis, was a "rare opportunity" to re-launch the process for peace and development in the Middle East and that his government was backing that effort.

He added Britain was looking beyond offering humanitarian aid to the Palestinians and was willing to help them recover their ailing economy.

"I was clear as to our willingness to commit resources in support of [Abbas'] administration in the face of some of the challenges he faces, for example the security challenge," he said.

Fayad told European Union ministers in Brussels on Monday he was committed to continuing efforts to establish new security forces to end the state of lawlessness in Palestinian areas and complained that Israeli settlement activity was bolstering support for those who reject the peace process.

"Obviously we are concerned about the recent publication of projected number of additional houses being built at the settlement in East Jerusalem and we regard them all as being particularly unhelpful coming as it does so soon after the Annapolis meeting," Alexander said.

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      1.   Can the Palestinians and Jews be bought off? 02:26  |  Sam 11/12/07
      2.   Make it conditional on ending rockets against Israel and.. 02:37  |  David 11/12/07
      3.   $500M is rocket aid 03:33  |  E 11/12/07
      4.   NOT ONE PENNY TILL 03:33  |  real vision 11/12/07
      5.   Many many thanks to the British government 03:57  |  Tamir Palestine 11/12/07
      6.   #1 - it`ll never happen 04:02  |  Steve 11/12/07
      7.   1 David, go and develop the Negev for your people, make it green 04:04  |  Tamir Palestine 11/12/07
      8.   Any easy promise to make 04:24  |  Mark Lincoln 11/12/07
      9.   #3 05:31  |  TOBIA 11/12/07
      10.   #5 OIL OIL OIL 05:35  |  TOBIA 11/12/07
      11.   Like throwing money down a sewer 06:04  |  leo 11/12/07
      12.   If you got no shame then do whatever you like 06:10  |  Palestinian 11/12/07
      13.   Well that should take care of... 06:39  |  Stevie the K 11/12/07
      14.   # 1 you are right 06:54  |  Kris 11/12/07
      15.   # 5 They are on the RIGHT side 06:56  |  Kris 11/12/07
      16.   # so israel does not get military help 07:05  |  Kris 11/12/07
      17.   "Aid to the Palestinian"-Just Another Name For "Dhimmi Tax" 07:37  |  Ben Israel 11/12/07
      18.   Terror sponsored by the pound!!!! 08:43  |  Trish 11/12/07
      19.   Money? Help? 09:03  |  Atoo Landarv 11/12/07
      20.   Money Must Come From Arab States Only 09:31  |  Khaled 11/12/07
      21.   B.S. 09:55  |  Nechama 11/12/07
      22.   A PROPAGANDA OF "GOOD WILL" BY A MOTHER OF ALL PROBLEMS IN M.E. 10:39  |  indrajaya 11/12/07
      23.   ENOUGH Of American/Western Leaders Being ISRAEL`s Poodle! 10:53  |  Proud Pal Defender 11/12/07
      24.   #5 - you missed the word `if` .. 10:56  |  redmike 11/12/07
      25.   to # 12 Palestinian 11:22  |  Steve the Pals. 11/12/07
      26.   save your money bring the price of petrol and deisel down 11:28  |  victor hardman 11/12/07
      27.   Go on like that! If there is one thing Zios can`t stand it`s 11:58  |  Andreas 11/12/07
      28.   to # 23 Proud Palestinian defender 12:06  |  Steve the Pals. 11/12/07
      29.   This is why Israel is against peace 12:13  |  Paul Wood 11/12/07
      30.   UK & EU funded SriLanka terrorists too, so u guys r not alone 12:25  |  Wasantha 11/12/07
      31.   to # 23 Proud Palestinian defender 12:33  |  Steve the Pals. 11/12/07
      32.   12 and 25 - "can`t buy the palestinian people" 12:34  |  redmike 11/12/07
      33.   #26 - stop supporting the Arabs and buy a hybrid car! 12:40  |  redmike 11/12/07
      34.   Typical Brown. Drifting, meaningless gesture. 12:40  |  Michael 11/12/07
      35.   U.K. PLEDGES USD500 MILLION. 12:46  |  David Nigel Braham 11/12/07
      36.   Not with my tax money! 12:54  |  George Lambert 11/12/07
      37.   PALESTINIAN there never was a state owned by Palestinians 12:55  |  PETER SM 11/12/07
      38.   #23 - but you didn`t say why - that would take brains 12:57  |  redmike 11/12/07
      39.   P.WOOD Re sanctions. Going to set the right example.? 13:12  |  PETER SM 11/12/07
      40.   to # 38 Redmike 13:30  |  Steve the Pals. 11/12/07
      41.   to # 32 Redmike 13:45  |  Steve the Pals. 11/12/07
      42.   #39 Peter SM 13:46  |  Paul Wood 11/12/07
      43.   @7, tamir on what drugs you are? have you ever been 13:48  |  vladimir 11/12/07
      44.   The International community is putting the package in place 13:53  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/12/07
      45.   #44 chris what is the international community? 14:15  |  victor hardman 11/12/07
      46.   Where is the Arab League? 14:22  |  Joe 11/12/07
      47.   League of Nations Mandate 14:27  |  Ben Azai 11/12/07
      48.   PA Transparency? 14:29  |  Sherlock Holmes 11/12/07
      49.   # 36, GEORGE LAMBERT 14:35  |  indrajaya 11/12/07
      50.   #7 Tamir Palestine 15:30  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 11/12/07
      51.   Arabic colloquialisms 15:35  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 11/12/07
      52.   Steve the Pals 15:44  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 11/12/07
      53.   #45 Victor Hardman 15:46  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 11/12/07
      54.   #46 Joe 15:58  |  Paul Wood 11/12/07
      55.   Paul Woods on Suha Arafat #54 16:44  |  Yaakov Sullivan 11/12/07
      56.   Oh god, `aid` British style 16:49  |  H50 11/12/07
      57.   It is funny to see Jews from all over dictating how the brits 17:03  |  Jew Atheist Pig 11/12/07
      58.   #41 - you didn`t bother to read the article so I won`t read any 17:10  |  redmike 11/12/07
      59.   #55 yaakov and two wrongs make right syndrome 17:13  |  victor hardman 11/12/07
      60.   vladimir. You know more about drugs than me lol 19:56  |  Tamir Palestine 11/12/07
      61.   Kris or Chris all British people are great, moslim, jews, christ 20:02  |  Tamir Palestine 11/12/07
      62.   Chris Linthwaite - For Once I Agree With You 21:01  |  Jane 11/12/07
      63.   George Lambert 21:55  |  Nick Ferriman 11/12/07
      64.   Kris from Austria 22:05  |  utagawa 11/12/07
      65.   PWOOD You claim Israel does not want to share foreign aid ? 22:08  |  PETER SM 11/12/07
      66.   U.K. pledges 22:15  |  Connie 11/12/07
      67.   #45 victorpaul Harrisman in TA 22:28  |  Labhras 11/12/07
      68.   #62 jane you have more chance of finding tarzan then peace in the 22:42  |  victor hardman 11/12/07
      69.   #59 victorpaul Harrisman in TA 23:13  |  lABHRAS 11/12/07
      70.   #67the boston leprechaun with more crocks of ordure 23:19  |  victor hardman 11/12/07
      71.   Victor- We`ll See 23:21  |  Jane 11/12/07
      72.   No more money! 23:26  |  Katy 11/12/07
      73.   RESond to Katy 00:30  |  TOBIA 12/12/07
      74.   Aethest Pig 02:51  |  Connie 12/12/07
      75.   Good for the British government! 03:43  |  Silvienne 12/12/07
      76.   #57, Jew Atheist Pig... 03:45  |  Silvienne 12/12/07
      77.   #4, real vision... 03:47  |  Silvienne 12/12/07
      78.   Reply to TOBIA 04:15  |  Katy 12/12/07
      79.   10% of UK/EU/UNRWA aid shipments should be confiscated for Sderot 05:07  |  Dr. L. Brnd 12/12/07
      80.   #76 the clever silvienne and the real world 08:24  |  victor hardman 12/12/07
      81.   #79, D.L.Brnd 03:53  |