European Commission announces an “urgent review” of its financial aid to Palestine

The European Commission reported on Monday an urgent review of its monetary aid to Palestine following what it called “terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel over the weekend”.

“In addition to existing safeguards, the purpose of this review is to guarantee that no EU funding indirectly allows a terrorist organization to carry out attacks against Israel”; we read in a press release from the European Commission.

The Commission explained that it will also examine whether, in light of the evolving situation on the ground, its aid programs for the Palestinian population and the Palestinian Authority need to be adapted.

The Commission added that it will carry out this examination as soon as possible and coordinate with Member States and partners any required follow-up action.

Note that this review does not affect humanitarian aid provided within the framework of civil protection and European humanitarian aid operations (ECHO).

As a reminder, the European Union recently took the decision to stop its development aid planned for the Palestinians, a measure which is raising concerns and debates at the international level regarding its potential impact on the humanitarian situation in the region.