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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| EU to resume aid to Palestinians | EU to resume aid to Palestinians |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The EU will resume direct economic aid to the Palestinian Authority to support President Mahmoud Abbas's new cabinet, foreign policy head Javier Solana says. | The EU will resume direct economic aid to the Palestinian Authority to support President Mahmoud Abbas's new cabinet, foreign policy head Javier Solana says. |
| Mr Abbas named an emergency government that excluded the Islamist party Hamas after it took over the Gaza Strip. | Mr Abbas named an emergency government that excluded the Islamist party Hamas after it took over the Gaza Strip. |
| Mr Solana did not say when the funding would begin, but said part of the money would go to Gaza. | Mr Solana did not say when the funding would begin, but said part of the money would go to Gaza. |
| The EU and US imposed an embargo on the previous government after Hamas's election victory 18 months ago. | The EU and US imposed an embargo on the previous government after Hamas's election victory 18 months ago. |
| Mr Solana's comments came after Israel said it would be prepared to ease economic sanctions now that Hamas played no official role in the Palestinian government. | Mr Solana's comments came after Israel said it would be prepared to ease economic sanctions now that Hamas played no official role in the Palestinian government. |
| Later, an Israeli fuel company, Dor Alon, said it had restored normal fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip after Palestinians protested against a move which the company said had been co-ordinated with the Israeli military. | |
| Gaza's 1.3 million residents are facing shortages of food and other essential supplies. | |
| 'Direct relationship' | 'Direct relationship' |
| Speaking before a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Mr Solana said the European Union would be prepared to make some direct payments to the government of the new Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad. | Speaking before a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, Mr Solana said the European Union would be prepared to make some direct payments to the government of the new Palestinian Prime Minister, Salam Fayyad. |
| In order to help the Palestinian people in Gaza, we will need some mechanism that cannot be direct support Javier Solana Profile: Salam Fayyad Fayyad's cabinet | |
| Mr Fayyad, widely respected among international organisations and donors, served as finance minister in the previous administration. | Mr Fayyad, widely respected among international organisations and donors, served as finance minister in the previous administration. |
| "No doubt part of it will go through the account that when he was minister of finance he had established and he will have kept as prime minister, so it will be a direct relationship with the government," Mr Solana said. | "No doubt part of it will go through the account that when he was minister of finance he had established and he will have kept as prime minister, so it will be a direct relationship with the government," Mr Solana said. |
| "It is very important that he is able to construct a budget, and through that budget he will be able to help both people in Gaza and the West Bank." | "It is very important that he is able to construct a budget, and through that budget he will be able to help both people in Gaza and the West Bank." |
| Mr Solana added that the EU also planned to deliver economic aid to Palestinians in Gaza, but this would be channelled through the UN or an existing temporary programme that bypasses Hamas. | |
| "In order to help the Palestinian people in Gaza, we will need some mechanism that cannot be direct support," he said. | |
| The EU, the biggest donor to the Palestinians, continued humanitarian aid during the ban on contact with the former Hamas-led government. |