Brussels: The European Commission has announced a significant increase in its financial support to the Palestinian people, with a total allocation of £202 million directed towards the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Palestinian Authority as part of the Comprehensive and Multiannual Programme for Palestine's Recovery and Resilience.
According to European Union, the allocation includes £150 million dedicated to the Palestinian Authority, aimed at ensuring the provision of essential public services such as the payment of salaries for teachers, civil servants, and healthcare workers. This financial backing is contingent upon the implementation of the reform agenda. Additionally, UNRWA has been granted £52 million to facilitate the delivery of essential services, including education, primary healthcare, and relief assistance to Palestinian refugees across the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and host countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria.
Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, emphasized the European Union's unwavering political and financial commitment to the Palestinian people. The commissioner highlighted that the £202 million disbursement reaffirms the EU's dedication to supporting UNRWA's role as both a humanitarian and development actor. The EU expressed deep concern about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza and the deteriorating conditions in the West Bank, reiterating its steadfast commitment to a just and lasting peace through a negotiated Two-State solution.