Angela Merkel Conditions $242 Million from Donors on No Reconciliation with Hamas until Recognition of Israeli Dispossession of the Palestinian People

242 million pledged at Berlin conference to support Palestinian security

Date: 24 / 06 / 2008  Time:  18:18
Bethlehem – Ma'an –

Donors from 50 nations pledged 242 million dollars to support the judicial system and security forces loyal to the Palestinian Authority (PA) at a conference in Berlin on Tuesday.

Speaking at the one-day "Berlin conference in support of Palestinian civil security and the rule of law," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she welcomed the current Israel-Hamas ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, and argued that a reformed legal system should be the basis of restored Palestinian national unity and future Palestinian state.

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that Germany itself would contribute 15 million euros (23.33 million US dollars).

The Berlin conference follows a similar meeting in Paris last December, in which donor countries pledged budget assistance to the PA to support Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's "reform and development plan." The international community has rallied around Fayyad's caretaker government after it was appointed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas last year.

The European Union intends to expand a mission of legal and security experts devoting to training Palestinian police, judges, and other officials. The program, called EUPOL COPPS currently employs 32 trainers, and is slated to expand to 70.

Another program, under the banner of "Empowerment of the Palestinian Judiciary," recently saw the training of 50 judges, prosecutors and associated staff.

European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner, one of the speakers at the meeting, said, "Increased security in the Palestinian Territory is one fundamental factor for reviving the economy and thus achieving tangible results for Palestinians in their daily life."

Also speaking at the conference, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad condemned a raid the Israeli military carried out in the West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday morning, killing two Palestinians. Nablus was one city where Palestinian security forces were supposed to have regained control under an internationally-backed plan proposed by Fayyad.

On the sidelines of the Berlin conference, the international Quartet on Middle East (the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations) also held a meeting. The Quartet also met with Israeli Foreign Minister and top negotiator Tzipi Livni and Palestinian head negotiator Ahmad Qurei'. Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa also met with the Quartet, as did UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, who joined via videoconference.

End of Ma'an's news report.

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Amr Moussa Responds to Merkel's Pro-Israeli Rhetoric

Aljazeera tv reported today that the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, in her speech said that the donors condition their donations to the Palestinian Authority to be provided as long as it has no dialog or reconciliation with Hamas, until it recognizes Israel.

When the Arab League Secretary-General, Amr Moussa, had his turn to speak, he responded to the Merkel pro-Israeli rhetoric, saying that the Arab League does not abide by this condition and will work towards dialog and reconciliation between Hamas and Fateh, which dominates the Palestinian Authority.

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