Foreign donors grow skeptical of Palestinian cause

LONDON — The European Union has been cautious in efforts to help the Palestinian Authority out of its fiscal crisis.

Officials said the EU has laid down guidelines that ensure Palestinian financial transparency before the EU transfers millions of dollars in aid to the PA. The guidelines were discussed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday.

The PA is seeking up to $400 million in emergency aid. PA officials said the PA is teetering toward bankruptcy amid the current mini-war with Israel.

The Arab League has pledged $1 billion for the Palestinians. But a report by the Jedda-based Islamic Development Bank said only $331 million has been raised. The bank said the biggest donor so far has been Saudi Arabia, which has paid $130 million of its pledge of $250 million.

The bank said only 12 of the 22 Arab League members have pledged anything to the Palestinians.

On Wednesday, the European Commission participated in an international meeting of donors to held in Stockholm to coordinate efforts to aid the PA. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee of international donors to the Palestinian Authority and was co-chaired by Norway and the EU presidency. Norway is the permanent chair of the liasion committee of donors.

Officials said the meeting was designed to take stock of PA finances and help donors coordinate their efforts to provide aid to the PA over the next few months.