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Under pressure, Israel allows Iraqi aid to Palestinians

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, February 28, 2001

TEL AVIV — Israel is allowing Iraqi supplies to enter the Palestinian areas.

The move comes despite warnings by Israeli security officials that the regime of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is using the aid to bolster support for Baghdad among Palestinians and increase coordination with the Palestinian Authority for any war against Israel.

Diplomatic sources said six trucks loaded with medicine and equipment were cleared by Israeli authorities for entry into the West Bank. The trucks contained equipment and milk donated by Iraq and Qatar and which arrived from Jordan.

Palestinian sources said that at one point Israel stopped the Iraqi supply of aid to the PA. But after appeals from the United States and European Union Israel approved the resumption of shipments.

Iraq has also pumped in more than $6 million to families of Palestinians killed in clashes with Israel, Palestinian sources said. The number is disputed by Israeli sources, who said that most of the money went to pay Iraqi agents in the West Bank to purchase weapons.

The Palestinian Authority said that without emergency aid the Palestinian economy will collapse. PA Finance Minister Mohammed Zohdi Nashashibi said the PA has a deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The EU has pledged to give $54.6 million to the PA over the next six months. The grant was agreed by EU foreign ministers, who called for a donors' conference to be held by April.

Wednesday, February 28, 2001


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