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EU Blames Israel for Palestinian Financial Crunch
BRUSSELS, April21 , 2006 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – The European Union blamed Israel on Friday, April21 , for the Palestinian government's financial crunch, denying that its aid cut-off was the main reason behind the crisis.
"While we are the major donor ... we are not the major source of finance for the Palestinian Authority," said Emma Udwin, spokeswoman for EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).
"The Palestinian Authority lives much more substantially from the tax transfers made by Israel of Palestinian money," she said.
Israel has frozen the monthly transfers of tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, worth around $ 50million following the inauguration of the new Hamas-led Palestinian government.
"The EU in a normal year only pays 10 per cent of the Palestinian Authority’s wage bill," Udwin said, adding that the rest of the government’s funds came from tax revenues.
The EU is the biggest aid donor to the Palestinians with an average500 million euros annually.
The bloc, along with the United States, have suspended aid to the Hamas-led government, insisting that it must first recognize Israel and "renounce violence" to secure the flow of aid.
Israeli Restrictions
The spokeswoman also blamed the Israeli restrictions for aggravating the financial crisis in the Palestinian territories.
"Also, the most overwhelming reason for Palestinians’ financial difficulties was the continuing conflict with Israel and Israeli-imposed restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement."
Udwin, however, said the aid freeze to the Palestinian Authority would continue.
"It is not possible to have business as usual with an administration which has not renounced violence," Udwin said.
She said that bloc was looking at new ideas "on how to continue to be a reliable partners."
Rights groups have said that the EU and US suspension of aid is making life even more difficult for ordinary Palestinians and Palestinian officials who have not been getting their monthly salaries for the past three months.
French President Jacques Chirac said on Wednesday, April19 , he supported continued aid to the Palestinians "for legal and humanitarian reasons".
More
http://islamonline.net/English/News/2006-04/21/article06.shtml
"The Palestinian Authority lives much more substantially from the tax transfers made by Israel of Palestinian money," she said.
Israel has frozen the monthly transfers of tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, worth around $ 50million following the inauguration of the new Hamas-led Palestinian government.
"The EU in a normal year only pays 10 per cent of the Palestinian Authority’s wage bill," Udwin said, adding that the rest of the government’s funds came from tax revenues.
The EU is the biggest aid donor to the Palestinians with an average500 million euros annually.
The bloc, along with the United States, have suspended aid to the Hamas-led government, insisting that it must first recognize Israel and "renounce violence" to secure the flow of aid.
Israeli Restrictions
The spokeswoman also blamed the Israeli restrictions for aggravating the financial crisis in the Palestinian territories.
"Also, the most overwhelming reason for Palestinians’ financial difficulties was the continuing conflict with Israel and Israeli-imposed restrictions on Palestinians’ freedom of movement."
Udwin, however, said the aid freeze to the Palestinian Authority would continue.
"It is not possible to have business as usual with an administration which has not renounced violence," Udwin said.
She said that bloc was looking at new ideas "on how to continue to be a reliable partners."
Rights groups have said that the EU and US suspension of aid is making life even more difficult for ordinary Palestinians and Palestinian officials who have not been getting their monthly salaries for the past three months.
French President Jacques Chirac said on Wednesday, April19 , he supported continued aid to the Palestinians "for legal and humanitarian reasons".
More
http://islamonline.net/English/News/2006-04/21/article06.shtml
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§STOP BLAMING ISRAEL!!!! ISRAEL IS FOR GOD'S CHOSEN ONES!!!!
THE JEWISH PEOPLE ARE SUPERIOR!!!! WE HAVE A RIGHT TO TAKE THE LAND FROM THE INFERIOR PALISTINIANS!!!!! WE MADE THE DESERT BLOOM!!! THE MOSLEMS ARE HEATHEN SCUM!!!!!
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