European Commission Suspends Aid to Palestinians Following Military Aggression Against Israel
The European Commission has made the decision to halt funding for development projects in Palestinian territories after the aggressive military actions of the terrorist group Hamas against Israel. This announcement was made on Twitter by Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy. According to Varhelyi, the scale of violence and cruelty directed towards Israel and its people has marked a turning point, and there can be no "business as usual."
"As the largest donor to the Palestinians, the European Commission is reviewing its entire portfolio of development projects, amounting to a total of 691 million euros," stated the Commissioner.
In addition, the European Commission is immediately suspending payments for ongoing projects in Palestine, reviewing all projects, and postponing new proposals for funding assistance to Palestinians "until further notice."
"The incitement to hatred, violence, and the glorification of terror has poisoned the minds of far too many people. We need action, and we need it now," Varhelyi concluded.
It's worth noting that Austria has previously made a similar decision. The Austrian government decided to suspend financial aid to Palestinian territories amounting to approximately 19 million euros following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. This announcement was made by Austria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg.
Germany is also considering the possibility of ending assistance to Palestinians after the Hamas attack on Israel. Svenja Schulze, Germany's Minister for Development, emphasized that funds allocated for Palestinian assistance have largely been spent, and financial transfers are not currently taking place. The question of further support will be discussed in light of recent events.
Additionally, on Monday, it was announced that the foreign ministers of the European Union would convene an emergency meeting in response to the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. EU diplomats will gather on Tuesday, October 10, to discuss the EU's response to the situation in the region, as reported by the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell.
The European Union and over 90 countries worldwide, including Ukraine, have unequivocally condemned the terrorist attacks by the Hamas terrorist group on Israel, resulting in the loss of over 700 lives and thousands of injuries, with the majority being civilian residents of the country, as well as foreign tourists.