BRUSSELS, January 31, 2018 (WAFA) - The European Commission has adopted a new €42.5 million assistance package benefiting Palestinians, including substantial support in East Jerusalem, said the commission in a press release issued on Wednesday.

The European Union will fund projects to increase the resilience of locals and support the Palestinian presence in the city of Jerusalem, through targeted measures benefiting young people and the private sector, said the commission.

Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, said, "With this new assistance package the European Union continues to support the Palestinians on their way towards the establishment of their own state as part of the two-state solution, with Jerusalem as capital of both Israel and Palestine.”

“ The European Union is, and will remain, Palestine‘s most reliable and important donor, investing in businesses, youth and schooling, helping to provide access to clean water in Gaza, strengthening civil society and investing on education and health," said Hahn.

The newly adopted €42.5 million assistance package includes:

€14.9 million for activities in East Jerusalem to preserve the Palestinian character of the city and counter the worrying deterioration of socio-economic indicators that include widespread poverty. Projects will focus on advocacy and protection actions, youth and education and support to the private sector, with the overall aim to boost economic development.





€27.6 million to support the building of a democratic and accountable Palestinian State through targeted policy reforms, fiscal consolidation, reinforcing businesses and SMEs, strengthening of Palestinian Civil Society and providing access to water and energy.

The package comes in addition to already adopted EU funding of €158.1 million in direct financial assistance to support the Palestinian Authority in meeting its recurrent expenditure (salaries and pensions, assistance to vulnerable Palestinian families, arrears of East Jerusalem hospitals) and the delivery of public services.

The release said that €107 million was also provided to UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. Finally, €18 million was provided for supporting productive investments both in the West Bank and in Gaza.

T.R./M.H.