Fayad tells EU new PA unity gov't needs over $1.3 billion in aid
PA Finance Min.: Aid needed to avert 'devastating' humanitarian crisis; EU: Aid dependent on gov't actions.
By ReutersPalestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayad told the European Union on Wednesday a new national unity government needed more than $1.3 billion in international aid this year to avert a "devastating" humanitarian crisis.
He won a cautious endorsement from EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, who promised technical assistance to enable his ministry to receive aid once the Palestinian Authority met crucial political conditions.
"We are looking for external support to bridge a gap of nearly 1 billion euros [$1.34 billion] for 2007," Fayad told a joint news conference, stressing his government's commitment to respect all peace accords with Israel.
Asked what would happen if aid was not forthcoming, he said: "The consequences are far too grave, quite frankly."
Fayad, a respected independent technocrat, was on the first visit to Brussels by a member of the new government after the EU boycotted the former Hamas-led administration due to the Islamic movement's refusal to recognise Israel or renounce violence.
Ferrero-Waldner praised his personal commitment to peace but made clear the EU's engagement would be selective, gradual and dependent on the government's words and actions.
"I've made very clear that possible financial engagement would not mean resuming direct financial assistance overnight," she said, pledging that a temporary aid system created to bypass the Hamas-led government would remain for as long as necessary.
The Finance Ministry would take months to meet international standards for absorbing aid, and "the EU will also need time to come to a decision then on this political issue", she said.
The EU, the Palestinians' biggest donor, increased aid from 500 million to 700 million euros last year, paying subsistence allowances to 150,000 families and keeping essential services going through the Temporary International Mechanism.
The Quartet of Middle East peace brokers - the United States, Russia, the United Nations and the European Union - suspended direct aid to the PA after the Hamas formed a government last year.
While Fayad presented the PA as a single team committed to the same platform, the Commissioner made clear the EU would work with non-Hamas members such as PA Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr and Information Minister Mustafa Barghouti.
"The Commission is standing by its commitments to support the national unity government depending on how it supports the Quartet principles," she said.
Fayad said the PA was operating on a quarter of the funds it needs to provide essential services to the population.
Even once a properly functioning finance ministry was restored, economic recovery would require the lifting of Israeli restrictions on trade, movement and access tightened as part of a security crackdown against the Hamas government, he said.
He was to meet the EU's Middle East peace envoy, Marc Otte, and European Parliament leaders before travelling to Norway.
Hamas: U.S. security aid to Abbas "dirty money"Hamas has criticized as "dirty" money a $59 million U.S. program to bolster Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's presidential guard.
"(The money) does not contribute to the interests of the Palestinian people and aims only to harm national unity," senior Hamas lawmaker Yehya Moussa said on Wednesday.
Abbas's Fatah faction formed a unity government with Hamas last month but tensions between the groups remain high.
Moussa said the money was "dirty" because it will bypass the Hamas-led government and go directly to support Abbas's presidential guard.
Moussa said the United States has "malicious intentions" to fuel fighting between Hamas and the once-dominant Fatah.
The Bush administration said this week it had received a green light from Congress to start the $59.4 million security program.
The bulk of the package -- $43.4 million -- will be used to "transform and strengthen the Palestinian Authority presidential guard", according to U.S. government documents.
This sum includes $14.5 million for "basic and advanced training", $23 million for non-lethal equipment, $2.9 million to upgrade the guard's facilities and $3 million to provide "capacity building and technical assistance" to the office of Abbas's national security adviser.
The package also includes $16 million to bolster security at the Karni commercial crossing between Gaza and Israel.
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Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayad (AP Archives) |
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Ian, i feel your pain. Not a single penny to these terrorists until the conditions are met!
i wonder what the iq is of an average palestinian... hmmmmm the truth emerges...
sj/usa, Israel buys weapons from US, not takes it as aid. They buy it with money they earn, not steal or beg for. once the weapons are attained they use it for defence. You know you're wrong!
"Palestine is defenseless" Not too defenseless to abduct and murder Israeli civilians or abduct and murder Israeli soldiers.
This is you prickFOOL to a TEE Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day Teach a man to fish, & he will sit in a boat all day..........DRINKING BEER!
the PA is one of the poorest richest entities on earty. The stupid Europeans, Americans and Israelis dumped billions into this rat's nest--and it ended up in Arafat's secret accounts--not to mention the accounts of his cronies such as holocaust denier Abbas. At Arafat's tertiary syphilitic death bed, his "show wife" Suhua fought with the PA over the secret wo where the cash is. Let the PA use the billions it already has.
Palestine is sucking the EU dry! AS if Europe had no other objectives than to artificially keep PA going. "Of course all the aid is not expected to come from Europe alone" .... oh! that's a slim relief to learn! Thank you very much, that is very considerate of the Pal-gov.! I am very much so looking forward to seeing a number of prosperous EU-member states start leaving their resignation applications on the Chairman's desk! Palestine is pulling the EU down TOO! Personally I welcome the return back to sovereign national European states; every cloud has a silver lining! PA is giving us a positive "push" to this direction.
London, not in Gaza?
home in Hadera, a city in Israel, while I am originally from Italy and I still maintain an Italian passport. Furtheremore, I am for peace with the Arabs, something I advocate in my "Mama Israel" as you refer to my country.
If you know they need food, then so do they. Hamas needs to renounce violence, give Shalit back, follow the peace accords and their agreements in Mecca. Not one more penny until they do. Send them YOUR paycheck if you feel so badly.
Hamas denounces terrorism and gives Shalit back. Not one more penny to support them or their people.
Do notice, the moment we begin to ask him of his opinion about Israel's right to exist, he simply disappear, refusing to say yes or no. I think it is obvious to all what he is doing at this Jewish Israeli site, don't you?
Anat made her permenant home in Italy. Ofcourse she will say that she visit Israel all the time and every year but still she prefer Italy to Israel. I do see many people here who are against peace with PA are the one who lives abroad not in Israel itself....strange. If you care much about Israel and no peace with PA then why don't leave Western countries and go back to your Mama Israel okay.
Have these useless people ever thought of working for a living instead of begging, how are they ever going to become an independent state. Let them starve or kill eachother or whatever.
You are welcome. It is the same Paulo. He must have been gone for a while, possibly to the same Israel bashing convention to which Hannah and Fritz have disappear, I am glad to say. Now that he is back, we would have to find out from him whether or not he has changed his opinion about Israel's right to exist.
Before talking why don?t you check if Canada does not contribute more than Portugal.....at least you will not sound so ignorant? Regarding Celine Dion, nice metaphor, it clearly show what your values are comparing seals and human!!!...any way, I am sure the EU will ask the US to solve their problem like in WWII or in Yugoslavia Do you remember Yugoslavia right?....not to long ago?..and just another example of the great EU foreign hypocrecy!!!
You Europeans...so funny....keep flushing that money down the drain....I love it!
US Congress 59M$ money maintenance , is so each time Condi or any head of state or terror supporter visit shaved jihadist terror Abbas at terror Ramallah headquater , they would be hosted in a clean/proper terror tunnels diggers house cum/pound to discuss ways to replace Israel by sodom and gomorrah terror pal state , From Nuakchott to Indonesia , Islam/Jihad has no room for a fabricated 23rd terror Islamic Jihad state composed of hired mercenaries mixture , Islam "Lords of Wars" Jihad are taught by their 72 years old virgin's principal of martyrdom schools of thought/martyrdom operations to take the fight into the heart of infidels lands, Israel is anyway seen as a mideast credit card escort chaser wearing a mini-skirt with no underwear , so why not discuss the service thru a biweekly Jdate . keep in mind , Flattering words from States and opportunists merchants , with Islam Jihad pimp terror flirt words should be sufficient, do the math 1.3B$/year or 164M$/month to sustain pals terror economy is cheap investment compare to enormous B$ Oil profits/per month
I recall, who refused to recognize Israel's right to exist. And as I recall, at some point in the past you have also blamed the Jews for the killing of Jesus, and you still hold them responsible for it. Right? Thank you, Anat, for reminding me.
our children, and when they can't, they turn at one another and murdering each other. And they ask Europe to finance this "peaceful" entity, governed by gangsters.
will be used to finance those who set out to murder my children!!!
This is a typical Islamist-Jihadist/Antisemite crap. May I remind you that tiny Israel is surrounded by vast dark forces territories that stretch from Dubai in Eastern Arabia to Timbuktu in Western Africa and whose countries have received billions of dollars in weaponry from Russia and other sources. May I remind you that Israel belongs to the Jews since ancient time stretching back 4000 years ago. The squatters, usurpers and occupiers of Israel's land are the Islamist-Jihadists who came from Southwestern Arabia in the 7th century. It is time you discard your illegal occupation crap. May I remind you that Portugal and Spain were once occupied by Islamist-Jihadists but they liberated their historic homeland from the Islamist-Jihadist occupiers in the Medieval. Israel too has all the rights in the world to liberate her biblical and historic homeland from the Islamist-Jihadist occupiers which she did in 1948 and 1967!
all together, so why should we take your words in any way other than within this context?
What is the date given by the Palestinian government to be self-sufficient? Being able to conduct their business without any outside help? 4007?
Clickfool's arugument is highly persuasive, however it could never be actualized! The omnipresent, omnipotent Mossad would certainly sabotage the delivery of any such weaponry. Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Clickfool?
If you are going to use irony,don't make it so opaque that that you seem to be arguing against yourself.You nearly had me fooled.Don't look for political correctness here,I don't do it.
"Why dont they ask their Muslim brother" - Or better yet their European neighbours. We have a vested interest in protecting the rights and freedoms of Palestinians as much as Muslims do. Need I remind you that the proportion of Christians to Muslims amongst Palestinians is on par with the proportion of Maronites to Muslims in Lebanon. "They ask my money" - Last time I checked Canada was not in the EU. "When they dont appreciate my values and torch offices for a stupid cartoon" - Well Im not too happy with your people clubbing cute little baby seals so Im going to stop buying Celine Dion CDs.
Some of these people are being very stingy and mean. Please continue to help the poor downtrodden pals and give them as much money as you possibly can. The Zionists have already received too much military aid. It's so unjust. Good for you.
Canada must aid those less fortunate. After all they are your earthly brothers in need. Where is the famous generous spirit of the Canadians?
"Funding the dark forces" - Brod your country is responsible for providing Israel with millions of cluster bombs to drop over southern Lebanon days before the war was due to end. Your country provides Israel with the logistics to continue with its illegal occupation of Palestine. Need I also remind you that your country also funded the Taliban! Its funny how things come full circle.
deserve even single penny.
and don't call them terrorists, it's not politically correct. They are legitimate militants fighting the horrid Zionists, and therefore we must all help them and you rich Euans must keep funding these poor miserable people. Shame on you Ian.
Fayad should be going East to Riyahd and not to Brussels. What is all this Arab-Muslim brotherhood BS? Just another fairytale? When it comes to Arab summits everybody rushes to be there. When it comes to giving cash, they all pretend they came from a different planet, including Muslim clowns from Lybia and Iran. Palestinians wake up and smell the coffee: Muslim unity is only for the rich and you are never to be admitted. So stop killing yourselves and others along the way and start building something positive, otherwise you will always remain a bunch of pitiful loosers.
"This is my money, and I dont like it!" - This is my money too and I like it. The EU has been steadily increasing its funding of activities in Palestine, dont be surprised to see yet another increase. Unfortunately for you the Palestinian lobby (with the help of many prominent Europeans) has a far greater sway in the EU then bigots such as yourself.
Damn cheek stopping the aid to pals; it is their birthright to receive eternal financial aid from the Europeans. EU should not listen to the Zionists and keep the money flowing and should not differentiate between factions, it only causes frustration and dispute between M. Abbas and I. Hanieh. The EU is responsible for the infighting because they are making the Hamas very angry.
Muslim brother then???? 25 % more Arab billionaires this year and they ask my money??? Specially when they dont appreciate my values and torch officces for a stupid cartoon?
This money does not grow on trees;it comes out of the pockets of EU citizens like me.Just in case any of the dolts in Brussels are reading this and think that they can take our money and give it away to arm and enrich terrorists let me tell them that I RESENT THE WHOLE IDEA.
"Give them charity. But don`t give them money to spend on arms to fight Israel.." How foolish the Zionist perspective is. It's precisely because of the Zionist land grab and continued occupation, that all the Palestinian poverty and misery exists in the first place. In the long run it is certainly more beneficial to the victims, that they be provided with the "fishing rod", rather than the "fish" incrementally. What is to be hoped for therefore would be for the EU to provide the PA with as much sophisticated weaponry as is necessary in order to end the illegal occupation as quickly as possible.
Colin, where does all the "aid" money go that USA gives to israel??? Isnt it to arm your country to the hilt with weapons, not too mention that the USA supplies your country with MANY weapons, air craft, tanks and so forth. Isnt your statement a little like the POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK??? Right now your teachers are striking in your country for lack of pay. Your country has many ghettos but yet israel constantly wanting MORE and MORE money to fund your military. Palestine is defenseless up against the might of the IDF. So what if the Palestines buy weapons for defense, israel isnt the ONLY country in this world that should defend its people. BUT yet you forget so conveintly that the pals need food as well to survive, or is that just a intentional slip of thought for you.
also tell them that his government, the Hamas government, has now decided to accept Israel's right to exist, that it is ending all acts of terror against Israelis, and that it now adheres to all signed agreements signed by the PA. And example to this last point, he should tell our people is that Gilad Shalit will be freed within days without any further demands and conditions since he was abducted from Israel against signed agreements.
The West should not waste one cent of their precious taxpayers' money on the dark forces. The head of the dark forces--Saudi Arabia should give them the funds to help them resettle in their historic homeland in Southwestern Arabia where they originated in the 7th century.
A new set of lies.The finance minister needs the money to pay for the arms and killing machine that the unity government of this ficticious government. Naturally the Europeans will give them all they need.Must keep the jews in place as is the motto of U N.America will also give them the money as they need compitition to the modern arms race.Yet all know that no food wil be purchased.No basic needs will be bought.no medical requirements have been ordered. give us money to continue murdering all whom are not arabs.Notice no arab money is donated.Let the foolish western democratic idiots pay for thier own suicides.
Why not just drop them charity 'CARE' packages instead of giving them cash to go buy more arms with? They probably have more money in ammunition that would ever be needed to feed the entire population for a year or two anyway. Give them charity. Drop food from the air. But don't give them money to spend on arms to fight Israel.
And the PA has 17 billion $ stashed in a "Development Fund" somewhere,red Switzerland.Let them usee those money first,if they're afraid of "grave consequences".