{"id":201561,"date":"2007-05-14T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-12T18:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?p=201561"},"modified":"2019-03-12T18:11:50","modified_gmt":"2019-03-12T18:11:50","slug":"auto-insert-201561","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/auto-insert-201561\/","title":{"rendered":"UK Intl. Development Secretary calls for more assistance to Palestinian public workers – UK press release\/Non-UN document"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Benn calls for more international cash to plug Palestinian funding shortfall<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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UK commits £3m for public sector workers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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New cash from international donors is urgently needed to help avert a funding crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the International Development Secretary warned today, as he <\/span>pledged £3m for basic living allowances for around 16,000 Palestinian Authority (PA) workers<\/a>, <\/span>including nurses and teachers.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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Hilary Benn’s message comes on the morning of a meeting of European ministers in Brussels, attended by the UK Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, which is expected to discuss aid to Palestinians through the funding channel, the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM). There is an estimated shortfall of over €200m (£136m) which could be reduced quickly if donors announced new pledges to support Palestinian livelihoods and services and boost the economy. Last year saw an increase in EU aid to the Palestinian people, but more aid is needed to continue paying allowances to PA workers and to the poorest and most vulnerable Palestinians. <\/p><\/div>\n

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Hilary Benn said:<\/p><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t‘The situation for Palestinians is very difficult. A quarter of households do not have reasonable access to water and the economy is still shrinking, although at a much slower rate. The UK and other European donors responded last year by contributing 27% more than in 2005. The TIM has helped to avert a humanitarian crisis with fuel to keep water, sanitation and clinics running and to ensure continued electricity supplies. It is helping to ease the financial burden of around 900,000 Palestinians.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n
\n\t\t\t\t‘However, new aid from donors is needed to continue this work and Israel must release the remaining Palestinian funds which they are withholding. The UK’s pledge today brings our total aid commitment to £15m through the Temporary International Mechanism, and we stand ready to do more. This will be a vital lifeline for tens of thousands of workers and their families who have been helping to keep hospitals, schools and other public services running without full pay for over a year.’\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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Hilary Benn added that while the TIM was currently the most effective way of getting aid to the Palestinians, he hoped it would be a short, not long-term solution:<\/p><\/div>\n

\n\t\t\t\t‘What the Palestinian people really need is peace. This is what the UK is pushing for and it’s why we are encouraging all members of the National Unity Government to commit to the three Quartet principles of giving up violence, recognising Israel’s right to exist and signing up to previous peace agreements. I hope that the TIM will be a short-term, not a long-term solution. The UK would want to resume direct aid to the Palestinian Authority as soon as we are confident that these principles have been met and appropriate financial management is in place. Until then the most effective way to get aid to the Palestinians is through the TIM.’\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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Palestinian Finance Minister, Salaam Fayyad said: <\/p><\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t‘The TIM has played a vital role in helping to avert a humanitarian crisis in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. My aim is that Israel will release the Palestinian revenues it is holding back. However, until that is done, increased funding will be needed for the TIM and I hope that donors from the EU and elsewhere will be able to respond.’\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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Fadel, a nurse in a West Bank hospital, spoke of the impact the TIM allowances were having on her life: <\/p><\/div>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t"It has facilitated my life, particularly with transportation, for rent and for the supermarket. I am a nurse, and I have a duty to provide care for the patients in the hospital, so it’s difficult to reach them, to provide any care, without paying for transportation."\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n

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Since last July aid to the Occupied Palestinian Territories has been mainly channelled through a closely-monitored international fund set up to protect donations from terrorism, which has been hailed by many donors as the most effective way of getting money to the Palestinians. Around 900,000 people are already benefiting from around £150m EU funding under the TIM, which has also delivered over 47m litres of fuel to help run hospitals and water services in Gaza.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Notes to editors<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

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1. In a written statement to Parliament today, Hilary Benn announced the £3m funding and commented on the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. <\/p><\/div>\n

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2. Margaret Beckett is representing the UK at the GAERC (General Affairs and External Relations Council) meeting in Brussels today. <\/p><\/div>\n

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3. With this latest £3m contribution, the UK will have provided £15m through the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM). The UK has fully disbursed its 2006\/07 commitment of the TIM; <\/p><\/div>\n