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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Paris hosts Mid-East donor talks | Paris hosts Mid-East donor talks |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| Officials from 68 countries in Paris have pledged a multi-billion dollar aid package for Palestinians, in the biggest such meeting for a decade. | Officials from 68 countries in Paris have pledged a multi-billion dollar aid package for Palestinians, in the biggest such meeting for a decade. |
| To help set up a viable Palestinian state, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas wants $5.6bn (£2.8bn) by 2010. | To help set up a viable Palestinian state, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas wants $5.6bn (£2.8bn) by 2010. |
| He warned the one-day donors' summit that Palestinians were facing a "total catastrophe" and challenged Israel to freeze all settlement activity. | He warned the one-day donors' summit that Palestinians were facing a "total catastrophe" and challenged Israel to freeze all settlement activity. |
| Hamas was not invited but called the talks a "declaration of war" on it. | Hamas was not invited but called the talks a "declaration of war" on it. |
| "This was very clear in the speeches," said Sami Abu-Zuhri, spokesman for Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in June from Mr Abbas's Fatah movement. | "This was very clear in the speeches," said Sami Abu-Zuhri, spokesman for Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in June from Mr Abbas's Fatah movement. |
| "[French President Nicolas] Sarkozy, for example, called on the Palestinians to unite behind Abbas and said there would be no peace with a group that refuses to recognise Israel - meaning Hamas," he added. | "[French President Nicolas] Sarkozy, for example, called on the Palestinians to unite behind Abbas and said there would be no peace with a group that refuses to recognise Israel - meaning Hamas," he added. |
| 'Moment of truth' | 'Moment of truth' |
| Gaza, already suffering from an international boycott against Hamas after it won elections in early 2006, was plunged further into economic and political isolation after the Islamist militant group seized control of the territory amid a violent power struggle with Fatah this summer. | Gaza, already suffering from an international boycott against Hamas after it won elections in early 2006, was plunged further into economic and political isolation after the Islamist militant group seized control of the territory amid a violent power struggle with Fatah this summer. |
| Appealing for aid, Mr Abbas told donors in Paris a "moment of truth" had arrived. | Appealing for aid, Mr Abbas told donors in Paris a "moment of truth" had arrived. |
| "Without the payment of aid ... we will be facing a total catastrophe in the West Bank and Gaza," he said. | "Without the payment of aid ... we will be facing a total catastrophe in the West Bank and Gaza," he said. |
| DONOR PLEDGES European Union: $650m in 2008US: $555m in 2008France: $300m over three yearsGermany: $290m over three yearsJapan: $150m South Korea: $13m over three years ICRC demands action Monday's summit follows last month's US-backed Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland, which launched negotiations aiming to create a Palestinian state within the next 12 months. | DONOR PLEDGES European Union: $650m in 2008US: $555m in 2008France: $300m over three yearsGermany: $290m over three yearsJapan: $150m South Korea: $13m over three years ICRC demands action Monday's summit follows last month's US-backed Middle East conference in Annapolis, Maryland, which launched negotiations aiming to create a Palestinian state within the next 12 months. |
| A key element of the renewed peace talks is the US-backed road map, which requires Israel to freeze settlement-building activity and the Palestinians to disarm militants. | A key element of the renewed peace talks is the US-backed road map, which requires Israel to freeze settlement-building activity and the Palestinians to disarm militants. |
| "I expect [Israel] to stop all settlement activities, without exceptions," Mr Abbas also said. | "I expect [Israel] to stop all settlement activities, without exceptions," Mr Abbas also said. |
| After the Annapolis talks, Israel unveiled plans to expand a settlement on occupied land between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. | After the Annapolis talks, Israel unveiled plans to expand a settlement on occupied land between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. |
| Mr Abbas told the conference that both the Palestinians and Israelis should each meet their road map commitments "without excuses". | Mr Abbas told the conference that both the Palestinians and Israelis should each meet their road map commitments "without excuses". |
| Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the summit that Israel was committed to its obligations, "including in relation to settlement activities", but did not elaborate. | Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the summit that Israel was committed to its obligations, "including in relation to settlement activities", but did not elaborate. |
| She added: "We do not want the image of Israel in the Palestinian mind to be a soldier at a checkpoint". | She added: "We do not want the image of Israel in the Palestinian mind to be a soldier at a checkpoint". |
| 'Abhorrent conditions' | 'Abhorrent conditions' |
| The aid package formally includes Gaza, but analysts say most of the money will go to the West Bank, which is controlled by the moderate Palestinian president. | |
| Gaza is dependent on aid from the international community Mechanics of peace talksAnalysis: After Annapolis | Gaza is dependent on aid from the international community Mechanics of peace talksAnalysis: After Annapolis |
| UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told the summit that people in Gaza were living in the "most abhorrent conditions" that had "devastating effects on the economy and on family livelihoods". | UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told the summit that people in Gaza were living in the "most abhorrent conditions" that had "devastating effects on the economy and on family livelihoods". |
| The new envoy of the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators, ex-UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, told donors their pledges would be "indispensable" to the creation of a Palestinian state. | The new envoy of the Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators, ex-UK Prime Minister Tony Blair, told donors their pledges would be "indispensable" to the creation of a Palestinian state. |
| The biggest pledges came from the European Union and US, which promised $650m and $555m respectively. | The biggest pledges came from the European Union and US, which promised $650m and $555m respectively. |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are also attending the conference. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are also attending the conference. |
| It is the biggest gathering of its kind since 1996. | It is the biggest gathering of its kind since 1996. |
| The French president opened the talks, calling for an international force to be set up to help bolster the Palestinian security services. | The French president opened the talks, calling for an international force to be set up to help bolster the Palestinian security services. |
| November's Annapolis talks saw Israel and the Palestinians relaunch negotiations stalled for seven years. | November's Annapolis talks saw Israel and the Palestinians relaunch negotiations stalled for seven years. |
| The World Bank and several aid organisations have said that until Israel lifts its system of restrictions on the movement of Palestinian people and goods, giving more money will not rebuild the Palestinians' economy. | The World Bank and several aid organisations have said that until Israel lifts its system of restrictions on the movement of Palestinian people and goods, giving more money will not rebuild the Palestinians' economy. |