PA to Arab countries: Meet aid obligations

PA president will stress in Baghdad summit need to support Palestinians "in face of Israeli efforts to Judaize J'lem."

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
PA President Abbas at Doha conference on J'lem 390 (R) (photo credit: REUTERS/Mohammed Dabbous)
PA President Abbas at Doha conference on J'lem 390 (R)
(photo credit: REUTERS/Mohammed Dabbous)
PA President Mahmoud Abbas will ask Arab countries for urgent financial aid to the Palestinians during the upcoming Arab League summit in Iraq, Palestinian officials in Ramallah said Wednesday.
The officials complained that the Arab countries have failed to fulfill previous promises to provide financial aid to the Palestinians.
They said the Palestinian Authority is facing a severe financial crisis because of the failure of those countries and some Western donors to meet their obligations to the Palestinians.
PA Minister of Labor Ahmed Majdalani noted that the deficit in the PA budget was estimated at nearly $2 billion.
He said that Abbas, who is expected to attend the summit in Baghdad opening Thursday, will stress the need to support the Palestinians financially “in the face of Israeli efforts to Judaize Jerusalem.”
PLO Secretary-General Yasser Abed Rabbo urged the Arab countries to support the Palestinians “politically and financially.” Abed Rabbo also appealed to the international community to intervene to salvage the peace process. He said the road to peace was blocked because of Israel’s insistence on building in the settlements and east Jerusalem.