The EU will resume some aid to the Palestinian Authority following a two-year freeze. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh in Ramallah on Tuesday.
The hold-up came about after EU officials mulled conditioning their funding on removing anti-Israel propaganda from PA textbooks. According to von der Leyen, the inciteful material was “dealt with.”
“As Team Europe, we are the largest donor in Palestine, with around 600 million euros per year. And I am glad to announce the EU funds for 2021 can now be disbursed rapidly; all the difficulties are gone,” the European Commission President said.
Von der Leyen’s sentiments confirmed a European Commission vote to approve the funding on Monday night.
The EU’s 2021 funding plans include roughly $235 million in aid for the PA. The aid is earmarked for the salaries of the PA’s civil servants. Among them include doctors, teachers, firefighters, and nurses. It also helps fund Arabs seeking care in Israel’s hospitals.
The precise details of the EU’s decision are still not public. PA officials say that the funding will resume “unconditionally.” However, the EU has still not confirmed that claim.
“I thank Europe for unconditionally resuming [their] support, and for what it provided and will provide us with the necessary assistance to preserve Palestinian civil and security institutions,” Shtayyeh stated at a joint press conference with von der Leyen on Tuesday.
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