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EU to discuss Palestinian boycott | EU to discuss Palestinian boycott |
(about 2 hours later) | |
EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the new deal on a Palestinian national unity government, and how they should respond to it. | EU foreign ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the new deal on a Palestinian national unity government, and how they should respond to it. |
For more than a year, the EU, with the US and Russia, has kept up an economic boycott of the Palestinian government. | For more than a year, the EU, with the US and Russia, has kept up an economic boycott of the Palestinian government. |
This followed the election of an administration dominated by the Islamic militant group Hamas, which refuses to recognise Israel. | This followed the election of an administration dominated by the Islamic militant group Hamas, which refuses to recognise Israel. |
The ministers earlier approved sanctions against Iran. | |
Officials said the decision was broadly in line with a United Nations Security Council resolution in December imposing sanctions targeting the country's nuclear programme. | |
But EU foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said the door was still open for further negotiations with Iran. | |
The United States believes that Iran is working to develop nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes and has vowed to continue. | |
Funding increase | |
Leading EU nations have so far reacted to the Palestinians' deal in different ways. | |
Our people and our society cannot continue under this tough and unjustified siege so we hope that [the EU] will deal with this significant development positively Nabil AmrPalestinian presidential adviser | |
France has said that the new government, agreed in talks between Hamas and the rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas in Mecca last week, should be encouraged and supported. | France has said that the new government, agreed in talks between Hamas and the rival Fatah movement of President Mahmoud Abbas in Mecca last week, should be encouraged and supported. |
Germany has been more hesitant, while the UK has described the new agreement only as interesting. | Germany has been more hesitant, while the UK has described the new agreement only as interesting. |
Most aid bypasses the Palestinian Authority, and European Commission spokeswoman Emma Unwin said total EU funding increased last year to 665m euros ($865m), up from around 460m euros in previous years. | |
However, Palestinian presidential media adviser Nabil Amr said he hoped the Mecca agreement would encourage the EU to help Palestinians. | |
"Our people and our society cannot continue under this tough and unjustified siege so we hope that they will deal with this significant development positively," he told the BBC. | |
"I hope that they will put an end to this siege and to continue our systematic relations with the EU." |
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