PLO welcomes Chirac's aid initiative
Palestine-Israel-France, Politics, 5/3/2006

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee welcomed today French President's initiative aimed at finding a swift solution to the Palestinian government's financial crisis.

French President Jacques Chirac had proposed that aid that used to be given directly to the Palestinian government, be passed indirectly to the Palestinians thru the World Bank now, ever since the EU and US decided to stop the aid when Hamas won the democratic elections. The US has further banned banks from transferring funds to the Palestinian government, which is said to have caused a sever problem for the Palestinian government in being able to receive funds. All this, while the US says it supports democracy and democratically elected governments.

During a meeting in Ramallah city headed by President Mahmoud Abbas, the Committee called to continue dialogue with France to discuss the best mechanism of how such an initiative contributes in easing the siege imposed on the Palestinian people.

The committee also discussed the Israeli ongoing escalation against the Palestinian people and the economic and financial siege internationally imposed on the Palestinian government and people.

It also examined Israeli construction of the Apartheid Wall, plans to turn Jerusalem and Palestinian cities into cantons, and daily artillery shelling of civil targets in different parts of the northern Gaza Strip cities and towns.

Referring to the financial crisis that the Palestinian government is witnessing, the Committee said that this crisis is the worst since the establishment of Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in 1994 and more than 160 thousands employees have not got their salaries for the second consecutive month, adding that such circumstances threatens the existence of the PNA.

The Committee welcomed initiatives to launch a Palestinian national dialogue purposed to end the recent crisis.

Meatime, the organization noted today that the Israeli occupation forces killed 37 citizens, including six children and wounded 182 others in April, including five international activists.

It said that Israeli soldiers demolished one house, devastated a stadium and landing field, in Gaza, and turned 18 houses into military posts. During April, the Israeli occupation soldiers uprooted 60 olive trees and seized 481 Donums for constructing a separation wall on Palestinian lands.

Today, Israeli occupation forces arrested nine citizens in different cities in the West Bank, with four citizens in the city of Bethlehem, Palestinian security sources said.

Previous Stories:
  French proposal on aid to suffering Palestinians   (4/29/2006)
  Abbas in France today   (4/27/2006)
  Saudi Arabia welcomes Hamas unconditionally   (3/7/2006)

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