With a view to fostering sustainable economic development in occupied Palestinian territory and reducing aide dependency, €30.5 million are allocated to private sector development. This support will target key Palestinian economic sectors that have the potential to stimulate inclusive economic growth and will enhance digitalisation, diversification of trade and innovation, thus boosting the economy. It will also contribute to the economic recovery efforts in Gaza, notably supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as reconstructing and developing damaged economic infrastructure.
Moreover, in this package the EU has earmarked €10 million for two major infrastructure projects in Gaza that are part of the EU’s flagship projects under the EU’s Economic and Investment plan for the Southern Neighbourhood: the gas for Gaza pipeline and the Gaza central desalination plant related works.
Finally and in line with EU commitment towards gender related issues, €3 million will promote gender responsive policies and laws in the occupied Palestinian territory.
BRUSSELS Oct 9, 2023 -- The European Union late Monday reversed an earlier announcement by an EU commissioner that the bloc was “immediately” suspending development aid for Palestinian authorities and instead said it would urgently review such assistance in the wake of the attacks on Israel by Hamas to make sure no money was misused.
“There will be no suspension of payments” at the moment, a terse European Commission statement said late Monday, five hours after EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi had said that all payments from the development program for Palestinians would be “immediately suspended. All projects put under review. All new budget proposals … postponed until further notice.”
No immediate explanation for the reversal was given. A full European Commission statement always trumps a statement from an EU commissioner, but the reversal on a 691 million-euro ($730 million) program capped an embarrassing day at the EU’s executive at a time of extreme geopolitical sensitivities.
Since hamas is in charge there is no way much of this money at all will go to the people but rather to arms and the like for creating war with israel. We already saw where they dug up pipelines for water to use as rocket launchers,so they are basically hopeless.