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U.S. Pledges $212 Million in New Aid for Gaza Conference Pledges $5.4 Billion to Rebuild Gaza
(about 14 hours later)
CAIRO — Secretary of State John Kerry announced $212 million in fresh aid for Gaza on Sunday as diplomats from more than 40 nations gathered here to pledge funds for the territory’s reconstruction. CAIRO — An international donor conference here on reconstructing Gaza garnered $5.4 billion in pledges on Sunday. But even as diplomats highlighted the contributions, they warned that the effort to rebuild the Palestinian enclave could be jeopardized unless a diplomatic solution was found to break the cycle of violence between the militant group Hamas and Israel.
The new assistance is in addition to $118 million in humanitarian aid that the United States provided to residents of Gaza earlier this year. Borge Brende, the Norwegian foreign minister who played a role in organizing the conference, announced the total sum, which was boosted by a hefty $1 billion contribution from Qatar. Half of the $5.4 billion that was promised is to be used for rebuilding efforts in Gaza, while the remainder is intended to support the budget of the Palestinian Authority through 2017.
Mahmoud Abbas, the head of the Palestinian Authority, has been seeking $4 billion to rebuild the infrastructure of Gaza, which was battered during the recent 50-day war between the militant group Hamas and Israel. But the absence of an enduring political solution for the recurrent conflicts between Hamas and Israel has cast a shadow over the meeting. That sum is less than the $8.5 billion Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, had requested for both purposes. But Western officials noted that the contributions could grow since a number of nations like the United States made their pledges on an annual basis.
While diplomats promised to provide aid to help rebuild homes and ease the hardship of civilians in Gaza, American officials acknowledged that many donors would be reluctant to make more substantial contributions as long as there was a substantial risk that a new round of fighting between the two sides might erupt. Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general, told the conference that there was an urgent need for the aid in Gaza, where almost a third of the population had been displaced by conflict. Even now, he said, electrical blackouts last up to 18 hours a day and more than 450,000 people do not have access to the municipal water supply.
“There is the third time is less than six years that we have seen war break out and Gaza left in rubble,” Mr. Kerry said. “As long as there is a possibility that Hamas can fire rockets on Israeli civilians at any time, the people of Gaza will remain at risk of future conflict.”
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon told the conference said that almost a third of Gaza’s population had been displaced by the conflict. Even now, he said, electrical blackouts last up to 18 hours a day and more than 450,000 people do not have access to the municipal water supply.
“Gaza remains a tinderbox,” Mr. Ban said. “The people desperately need to see results in their daily lives.”“Gaza remains a tinderbox,” Mr. Ban said. “The people desperately need to see results in their daily lives.”
Though there is broad agreement that Gaza has pressing humanitarian needs — and an acknowledgment that the failure to address such basic needs will only add to the risk of renewed conflict — deep disagreements over its future remain. Still, diplomats said that any gains could be at risk unless progress was made toward a political settlement that reduced the likelihood that a conflict between Hamas and Israel might erupt yet again.
Turkey and Qatar have supported Hamas. But Egypt and Saudi Arabia have opposed the organization and along with the United States are adamant that the reconstruction aid not be perceived as rewarding Hamas for stopping its rocket attacks against Israel. “We need a political process that is different from 2009 and 2012,” Mr. Brende said, referring to the reconstruction efforts that were undertaken only to be followed by another conflict.
Israel concluded an agreement with the United States that allows the shipment to Gaza of some reconstruction supplies to Gaza, but political negotiators have made little progress beyond a cease-fire, and Israel did not attend the conference here. “This is the third time in less than six years that together with the people of Gaza, we have been forced to confront a reconstruction effort,” Secretary of State John Kerry told the conference. “This is the third time in less than six years that we’ve seen war break out and Gaza left in rubble.”
In remarks to reporters on Sunday night, Mr. Kerry said that a political solution on Gaza — one that met Israel’s security needs as well as the Palestinians’ insistence that their political rights be respected — could not be fully achieved without progress toward a broader Middle East peace deal. And Mr. Kerry signaled that he had not given up on the idea of forging a comprehensive peace settlement between the Palestinians and Israelis even though talks between the two sides broke down last year.
“We do want to get back to them,” Mr. Kerry said. “We are not stopping. We are committed to continuing to put ideas on the table.”
Even as Mr. Kerry underscored the importance of a potential agreement for stability in Gaza and the region, however, he signaled that the Obama administration would not plunge into another round of Middle East diplomacy unless it sensed there was enough political will on the Israeli and Palestinian sides to try to make progress.
Though there was broad agreement here that Gaza has pressing humanitarian needs, there have been deep divisions over its future.
Turkey and Qatar have supported Hamas, but Egypt and Saudi Arabia have opposed the organization and, along with the United States, have been adamant that the reconstruction aid not be perceived as a reward to Hamas for stopping its rocket attacks against Israel.
Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have formed a unity government, but tensions between the two groups remain.Hamas and the Palestinian Authority have formed a unity government, but tensions between the two groups remain.
“Hamas had provided no indication that it is prepared to subsume its military authority to the Palestinian Authority,” said Robert M. Danin, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.“Hamas had provided no indication that it is prepared to subsume its military authority to the Palestinian Authority,” said Robert M. Danin, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
In a speech to the conference, Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, cited his role in concluding a cease-fire and facilitating arrangements that would open border crossings for the shipment of reconstruction materials. Mr. Abbas also repeated his appeal for a United Nations Security Council resolution that would establish a “time ceiling for ending the occupation.” One subtext of the conference on Sunday was efforts by the United States and its Arab partners to boost the influence of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza.
The deputy chief of the Hamas, Ismail Haniya, was not at the conference. But he in an email statement he said that the “sacrifices” of Gaza’s people should be rewarded. “The Palestinian Authority and President Abbas must be empowered in all that we do in order to define and determine Gaza’s future,” Mr. Kerry told the conference. “We can and should see Palestinian Authority customs officials at Gaza’s borders. We can and should help the P.A. to expand its control in Gaza.”
“Unfortunately, the Gaza Strip hasn’t received any money for reconstruction after pledges made in two previous conferences,” Mr. Haniya the statement said. stressing that “money this time has to flood to start what the occupation destroyed.” Qatar signaled its interest in maintaining its influence in Gaza by making the largest pledge: $1 billion. The United Arab Emirates, which has competed with Qatar for influence in the Middle East, promised $200 million.
“"We are not beggars, but our people presented sacrifices and it is the international community’s responsibility to build up what the occupation destroyed during its inhuman war on Gaza,” he added. Among Western blocs, the European Union pledged $568 million. Mr. Kerry pledged $212 million in fresh aid, $75 million of which will go for reconstruction efforts in Gaza, while the remainder will be directed to the Palestinian Authority, including programs in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Mr. Kerry said that the American aid would be used for to buy food, medicine and “shelter materials” as winter approaches and make repairs to Gaza’s damaged water and sanitation network. He said it was important that the Palestinian Authority expand its role in Gaza. And despite the collapse of peace talks last spring, Mr. Kerry urged Israel and the Palestinians to make a new commitment to negotiate a lasting Middle East peace.