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European Commission provides EUR 7 million in humanitarian aid to the Palestinians
IMRA ^ | 12/7/2004 | EU

Posted on 12/08/2004 11:51:47 AM PST by yonif

Reference: IP/04/1448 Date: 07/12/2004 http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/04/1448&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

IP/04/1448 Brussels, 7 December 2004

Commission provides EUR 7 million in humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable Palestinians

The European Commission has allocated a further EUR 7 million in humanitarian aid for people made vulnerable by the Middle East crisis. The aid will provide access to food, clean water and sanitation for the poorest Palestinians living on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. There is also a major funding component to help rehabilitate the shelters of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The aid will be channelled through ECHO, the Commission's humanitarian aid department. It brings the Commission's humanitarian assistance to victims of the Middle East crisis to EUR 37 million for 2004.

Louis Michel, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, said: "As the political process in the Middle East may well enter a new phase, it is important not to forget the humanitarian consequences of the crisis and to continue assisting and protecting those who grow more vulnerable every day. Palestinian refugees who have been in neighbouring countries for over 50 years are often forgotten by aid agencies and donors. We must ensure they live in decent conditions. In the occupied Palestinian territory, living conditions are deteriorating for an increasing share of the population, as a direct result of the conflict."

The latest aid package includes food aid for 12,000 Bedouin families in the Gaza Strip. Wells and irrigation systems will be rehabilitated for the benefit of 5,000 farmers whose assets were destroyed during military operations. In areas affected by the West Bank barrier, rehabilitated water tanks and sewage treatment systems will serve 8,000 people. Actions aimed at protecting civilians from violence by all parties to the conflict will also be supported, in conformity with the 4th Geneva Convention. Meanwhile, the shelters of 4,000 refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria will be rehabilitated.

These activities will complement those funded through decisions adopted earlier this year, that have benefited almost a million needy Palestinians. The Commission's humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians since the start of the Intifada amounts to EUR 155 million, making it one of the largest aid donors in the region.

According to the United Nations, 2004 has seen the worst levels of destruction of the four years of Intifada in the territories. The humanitarian situation in Gaza has sharply deteriorated. Infrastructure and home demolitions, intensified movement restrictions and escalating conflict are the primary causes. In the West Bank increasing numbers of people are prevented by the "security barrier" from accessing healthcare, education, water resources and the means to earn their living. About 2.2 million Palestinians survive on less than $2 (EUR1.54) per day.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Foreign Affairs; Israel; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aidtoterrorregime; eu; suha6months; waronterrorism

1 posted on 12/08/2004 11:51:48 AM PST by yonif
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To: yonif

How much of that money has to go to suicide bombings?


2 posted on 12/08/2004 11:53:02 AM PST by mainepatsfan
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To: mainepatsfan

EU collectively gets together 7mil, the US alone comes up with 20mil.

Then again, I guess we are 'the great Satan' who hate Muslims and are saving so much money by 'unilaterally' stealing all of Iraqs OIL (/sarcasim)


3 posted on 12/08/2004 11:55:08 AM PST by FreedomNeocon (2)
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To: mainepatsfan
How much of that money has to go to suicide bombings?

Don't know, but we (US) just gave them $20 million.

4 posted on 12/08/2004 11:55:29 AM PST by fritzz (Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." Will Rogers)
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To: fritzz

And I'm sure the PA will spend the money wisely and for only peaceful purposes./sarcasm


5 posted on 12/08/2004 12:00:28 PM PST by mainepatsfan
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To: mainepatsfan
Thats chicken feed.That only buys a weeks worth of homicide bombers and bomb-makers ! I wonder how much we have provided in blood money for for the Oslo accord?
6 posted on 12/08/2004 12:03:45 PM PST by Jan Hus
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To: mainepatsfan
How much of that money has to go to suicide bombings?

It does not matter how much they divert directly from this. Every extra buck they get from the west for so called "aid" will help free up Islamic "zakat" dollars donated to them so they can spend that on arms and explosives.

7 posted on 12/08/2004 12:04:45 PM PST by USF (I see your Jihad and raise you a Crusade ™ © ®)
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To: yonif

I think this aid is a big mistake and, to use a common pop psychology term, a big enabler, for terrorism. Without a dole, the palestinians might have to spend more time trying to find or create jobs, which leaves them with little time or energy to go murder complete strangers in wholesale lots.


8 posted on 12/08/2004 12:06:31 PM PST by JeeperFreeper
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To: yonif
"In the West Bank increasing numbers of people are prevented by the "security barrier" from accessing health care, education, water resources and the means to earn their living."

I like how they make it sound like Israel trying to secure it's border as a horrible humanitarian issue.

Why don't the Palestinians spend the hundreds of millions of dollars they've received on building schools, hospitals, and building a working economy?

Oh yea, that's right. They can't because the money was put in Arafat's private accounts rather than being spent in the interests of the Palestinian people.

The Palestinian crisis has been maintained by the Palestinian authority in order for them to maintain control.
9 posted on 12/08/2004 12:21:29 PM PST by untrained skeptic
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Yehuda; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; ...
If you'd like to be on this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.
10 posted on 12/08/2004 12:50:00 PM PST by SJackson ( Bush is as free as a bird, He is only accountable to history and God, Ra'anan Gissin)
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To: yonif

I see the EU protection money payment is right on schedule. Gotta hand it to those Euros, they're always very prompt in paying protection. But they seem awfuly chintzy compared to the $20 million Bush just released. Someone should tell Schroeder and Chirac (you should pardon the mention of them) to cough up more. Maybe Kofi Annan could make a "donation", he seems to be quite the player with the money these days!

Feh! Neville Chamberlain still operates, it seems.


11 posted on 12/09/2004 4:46:19 AM PST by Convert from ECUSA (tired of shucking and jiving)
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