The United States will provide an additional $50 million in assistance to Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, said the State Department. The additional funds, which will be used towards loans for businesses to create jobs and other economic initiatives, brings the total US assistance to the Palestinians to $125 million for the year 2003.
The United States has given over $700 million in assistance to the Palestinians since 1999. With this $50 million, the United States will repair and rebuild critical roads, boosting economic opportunity, increasing access to services, and creating temporary jobs for thousands of Palestinians.
The funding will also support Palestinian civil reform, including the Palestinian Legislative Council, the Palestinian judiciary and civil society organizations. The US will also expand its emergency health and humanitarian assistance, including funding of food programs and delivery of pharmaceuticals to Palestinian health clinics.
The United States does not provide any financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organization, or affiliated groups. US financial assistance is provided to contractors and non-governmental organizations in the West Bank and Gaza for specifically identified projects and initiatives. — (menareport.com)
© 2003 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
