The European Union late Monday reversed an earlier announcement by an EU commissioner that the bloc was “immediately” suspending development aid for Palestinian authorities and instead said it would urgently review such assistance in the wake of the attacks on Israel by Hamas to make sure no money was misused.
“There will be no suspension of payments” at the moment, a terse European Commission statement said late Monday, five hours after EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi had said that all payments from the development program for Palestinians would be “immediately suspended. All projects put under review. All new budget proposals … postponed until further notice.”
No immediate explanation for the reversal was given. A full European Commission statement always trumps a statement from an EU commissioner, but the reversal on a 691 million-euro ($730 million) program capped an embarrassing day at the EU’s executive at a time of extreme geopolitical sensitivities.
Yep that was an unreflected knee-jerk reaction in the first place and no doubt various aid organisation went ballistic on the commission within minutes, behind the scenes.
It’s also incompatible with the EU’s stance in the first place: All that aid to Palestine is a way (besides helping people in need) to tell Israel to fucking cut it out without having to go on rants. Also, to provide contrast with various Arab states who focus on the ranting but generally do jackshit to help Palestinians.
About 80% of people in Gaza are dependent on humanitarian aid, for a good 16 years now due to Israel’s blockade. Right now, not even humanitarian aid is getting in. No water, no food, no power, no nothing.