SPAIN: Hamas, the governing body in Gaza, should not be confused with the entire Palestinian population, Spain’s top diplomat stated as the nation expressed disapproval of the proposed suspension of European Union assistance to the Palestinian territories.
Jose Manuel Albares, the acting foreign minister of Spain, stated on Tuesday that following Hamas’s attack on Israel on Saturday and Israel’s subsequent bombardment of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian territories would probably require additional aid soon.
“This cooperation must continue; we cannot confuse Hamas, which is on the list of the EU’s terrorist groups, with the Palestinian population, or the Palestinian Authority or the United Nation’s organisations on the ground,” Albares said during an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena SER.
On Tuesday, EU foreign ministers will convene on the sidelines of a gathering in Oman, which focuses on the Israel-Gaza situation, to deliberate on the funding matter.
This decision comes after the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, announced via the social media platform X that €691 million ($728 million) in aid had been halted.
The European Commission issued a contradiction to Varhelyi’s statement, clarifying that payments have not been suspended but are undergoing a review regarding aid to the Palestinian territories.
Officials also emphasised that this review specifically pertains to development funding and not the distinct EU humanitarian aid budget designated for Palestinians.
Even though nations like Austria and Germany have declared the cessation of funding to Palestinian territories, others such as Spain, France, and Luxembourg view continuous aid as essential for the well-being of the civilian population.
Suspending assistance would be “counterproductive,” Albares stated.
The French Foreign Ministry also stated that it had “made this known to the EU Commission” and that it was “not in favour of suspending aid that directly benefits the Palestinian populations.”
Last year, France provided €95 million ($101 million) in aid to various Palestinian regions, including Gaza, annexed east Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank governed by the Palestinian Authority, and refugee camps in neighbouring nations.
“This aid is focused on supporting the Palestinian populations in water, health, food security, and education,” the ministry added.
It is channelled through the United Nations, it “directly benefits the Palestinian people,” and it is “fully in line with the engagements of France”, the ministry continued.
Jean Asselborn, Luxembourg’s acting foreign minister, firmly opposed aid suspension, affirming that his government does not endorse such a move.
“Two million people live in Gaza. They are also hostages of Hamas. With these methods, we push them into the arms of terrorists,” he stated.
But other EU members, such as Germany, the richest country, which declared it was stopping its own direct aid to the Palestinians, might be in favour of the suspension.
A spokesman for the German ministry of economic cooperation and development stated, “It is being examined, that is, temporarily suspended.”
In February, the EU announced a contribution of €296 million for the 2022 budget to assist the Palestinian Authority in covering expenses like civil servant salaries, pensions, healthcare, and infrastructure projects.
The European Union states that it will offer financial assistance of up to 1.177 billion euros between 2021 and 2024.
Earlier on Monday, a spokesperson for the European Commission made it clear that EU funding “does not fund Hamas or any other terrorist organisation activities, either directly or indirectly.”
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