6/19/07

International Aid to Abbas-led Palestinian government

The United States joined the European Union on Monday in announcing its willingness to resume hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to the new Palestinian government led by President Mahmoud Abbas.

The commitment of financial and political support follows last week's gunbattles between rival Palestinian factions that led to Hamas routing Fatah forces in Gaza loyal to Abbas and the crumbling of a Fatah-Hamas unity government. In response, Abbas declared a state of emergency and appointed a new Cabinet of political independents based in the West Bank.

To ease the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, the United States is giving $40 million to the U.N. Relief And Works Agency, she said.

The EU offered its backing earlier Monday, resuming its aid that, like Washington, had been cut off after Hamas victories in 2006 Palestinian elections.

Following Hamas' takeover of Gaza last week, humanitarian groups have raised concerns about the further isolation of the Palestinian territory. Human rights groups have urged the Israeli government to reopen its border crossings with Gaza to allow food and medical relief supplies.

[CNN]

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