Al-Quds needs $200 million annually, Al-Husseini says

The holy city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) needs $200 million annually to develop its infrastructure and face the Israeli settlement policy, said Faisal Al-Husseini, Palestinian official in charge of Al-Quds.

Restructuring the holy city will need about $200 million annually over three or four years, Al-Husseini told the Moroccan first TV channel RTM.

Al-Husseini attended on Monday the first meeting of the governing board of Bayt Mal Al-Quds (Jerusalem Fund). The meeting, chaired by King Mohammed VI, examined means to inject more funds for the preservation of Al-Quds against Israel's Judaization attempts and to consolidate its Arab and Islamic identity.

The Palestinian official urged Arab states to set the amount of their contributions to the fund and called for a large-scale fundraising campaign throughout the Arab and Islamic world.

The already available $40 million funds are not enough, he said, adding that the management of the city and the housing projects alone cost $30 million annually.

Touching on the Middle East peace process, Al-Husseini accused Israel of failing to live up to its commitments. He urged Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to earnestly embark on the path of peace.

There will be no peace in the Middle East without settling the Palestinian issue and that of Al-Quds, he insisted.