Top EU diplomat vows $24.7m in aid to Palestinians

The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini said yesterday that the European Union will offer €22 million ($24.7 million) in humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

The EU diplomat’s remarks came during the joint press conference held ahead of the annual spring meeting of the International Donor Group for Palestine.

Mogherini described the EU as “the biggest and the most reliable donor to the Palestinians”, citing the €300 million ($336.9 million) offered by the organisation in annual aid over the past 15 years in addition to humanitarian aid offered to the Gaza Strip and to UNRWA in 2018.

“This support will continue, because Palestinians have the right to live in dignity and because we Europeans know very well that this money is an investment in security for the Palestinians, for the Israelis, for the region and for ourselves,” she said.

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Mogherini stressed that such aid is offered “not for charity”, but “for supporting a political objective” which is the two-state solution. “I want to be clear about this: a political two-state solution cannot be substituted by endless technical and financial assistance and capacity building. It would simply not work.”

The funds come as the UK pledged £9 million ($11.8 million) for the central desalination plant in the Gaza Strip.