AMMAN Ñ Despite repeated verbal support, the European Union continues to withhold aid pledged to the Palestinians.

Western diplomatic sources said EU agencies have failed to transfer tens of millions of dollars pledged to both the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations. They said the result is a significant deficit in funding for aid programs.

The sources said a key reason for the delay is PA refusal to provide sufficient accounting and transparency for European aid. They said European parliamentarians are demanding such accounting as part of any funding.

UN officials said that without EU support Palestinian aid programs are in jeopardy. Next week, UN Relief and Works Agency director Peter Hansen Saturday is scheduled to meet the European cabinet in Brussels. Hansen is expected to discuss on July 16 his agency's $65 million budget deficit.

The agency services Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. For the last year, Unrwa has appealed for increased aid from the West.

Officials said a crisis situation could be developing in Jordan, where tens of thousands of Palestinians are seeking refuge from the Israeli-Palestinian war in the West Bank. More than 50,000 Jordanians could also be returned to the Hashemite kingdom, after they have overstayed their visas in Israel and the Palestinian areas.

Print this Article

Email this article

Free Headline Alerts