EU Commission Suspends Development Payments For Palestinians Following Hamas Attack On Israel.
By Caroline Ameh
The European Commission has announced the suspension of all development payments for Palestinians in response to the recent Hamas attack on Israel. European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi made this announcement through a statement on X, previously known as Twitter.
Aid projects totaling a substantial 691 million euros (728.6 million dollars) are currently under review due to the escalating conflict in the region. Várhelyi emphasized that the severity of the recent terror attack and violence against Israel and its people has marked a turning point in their approach to the situation. He stated, “There can be no business as usual.”
Furthermore, Várhelyi called for immediate attention to addressing the foundations of peace, tolerance, and co-existence in the region. He expressed concerns about the incitement to hatred, violence, and the glorification of terror that has adversely affected the minds of many.
Previously, the European Union (EU) and its member states had been the largest donors to the Palestinian population, as acknowledged by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
In a separate statement, it was revealed that the EU had planned to support the Palestinian people with a substantial sum of 1.18 billion Euros for the period spanning from 2021 to 2024.
In light of these developments, EU foreign ministers are set to convene an extraordinary meeting scheduled for Tuesday to further discuss the evolving situation in the region.
