PR/02 /2010
Jerusalem
The Government of the Netherlands has
made a contribution of NIS 49.5 million towards the wage bill for the Palestinian
civil police, as well as members of the civil defence, such as fire-fighters
and rescue workers. The contribution will be channelled through PEGASE,
the European mechanism for support to the Palestinians[1].
The first disbursement from this contribution,
which will reach the bank accounts of 14,785 employees of the Palestinian
civil police and civil defence today, 6 January 2010, amounts to NIS 39,138,728
(more than €7.17 million). More than 9,100 of the recipients of this
payment are based in Gaza. A second disbursement will take place in early
February.
"This support tallies in neatly
with the overall support to the justice and rule of law sector provided
by the Netherlands, to back the ambition reflected in the Plan of the 13th
Government to ensure safety and security to all Palestinians," said
Mr. Jack Twiss Quarles van Ufford, the Head of the Netherlands Representative
Office to the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah.
PEGASE channels EU assistance to help
build a Palestinian State, in accordance with the priorities and needs
identified by the Palestinian Authority. Launched by the European Commission
on 1 February 2008, it is the main financing mechanism of the European
Union, the largest donor to the Palestinians.
The Netherlands' contribution complements
the ongoing programme of EU assistance to the Palestinian Authority to
ensure the continuous provision of essential public services, channelled
through the EU's dedicated PEGASE mechanism. As well as helping the PA
to meet a substantial proportion of its running costs, European funds support
major reform and development programmes in key ministries, to help prepare
the Palestinian Authority for statehood in line with the plan proposed
in August 2009 by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
The European Union and EU Member States
committed more than €289 million in 2009 in support of the Palestinian
Authority's recurrent costs through PEGASE. As well as helping the PA to
meet a substantial proportion of its running costs, European funds support
major reform and development programmes in key ministries, to help prepare
the Palestinian Authority for statehood in line with the plan proposed
in August 2009 by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
The EU is the largest single donor to
the Palestinian people. Since 2007 it has provided total assistance to
the Palestinian people, including civil society organizations and refugees,
averaging more than €500 million annually.
For further information on the EU's
assistance to the occupied Palestinian territory and the PEGASE mechanism,
please visit: www.delwbg.ec.europa.eu
[1] Mécanisme Palestino-Européen de
Gestion de l'Aide Socio-Economique (PEGASE)
Contact(s):
Shadi Othman, Press and Communication
Officer, European Commission Technical Assistance Office (ECTAO), 02-541-5888
Netherlands Representative Office, 02-240-6639