Donor meeting in Oslo raises 1,2 billion US$ for Palestinians
Historical archive
Published under: Bondevik's 2nd Government
Publisher: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press release | Date: 25/04/2002 | Last updated: 23/10/2006
Representatives of 20 countries and international organisations, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority, today met in Oslo within the framework of The Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for assistance to the Palestinian People (AHLC).
Press release
No.: 88
Date: 25.04.02
Donor meeting in Oslo raises 1,2 billion US$ for Palestinians
Representatives of 20 countries and international organisations, including Israel and the Palestinian Authority, today met in Oslo within the framework of The Ad Hoc Liaison Committee for assistance to the Palestinian People (AHLC).
The Committee is chaired by Jan Petersen, Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
- Donors have responded remarkably quickly to immediate humanitarian needs such as food, medicine and temporary shelter, and to repair damage to essential services such as electricity, water and sanitation systems, says Foreign Minister Petersen. - Though this meeting was not a formal pledging conference, donors today alone stated their commitment to disburse about USD 1.2 billion during the course of 2002 against the need of 2 billion. Further commitments are expected in the coming weeks.
- Today’s meeting took place at a low point in Palestinian-Israeli relations, says Petersen. - It is therefore remarkable that we were able to bring the two sides together. A solution to the conflict depends upon a comprehensive approach that combines simultaneous and parallel security, political and economic tracks. Today’s meeting was a part of this three pronged strategy.
- The purpose of our meeting was to discuss the immediate humanitarian situation, the broader economic crisis facing the Palestinian people, and the way in which we as donors can respond. Our objective is to reduce suffering, meet immediate repair needs and ensure that the economic basis for a viable Palestinian state is not destroyed, says Petersen.
- The donor countries have also asked for assurances that Israel will respect and safeguard their investments in Palestinian infrastructure. Israel has also been asked to give its share in providing relief to the Palestinian economy. Israel must ease closures, release withheld tax revenues and immediately resume monthly tax transfers.
- A central theme of our meeting was that security for Israelis cannot be achieved at the price of insecurity for Palestinians. Recent military reoccupation of Palestinian areas has brought widespread suffering for the civilian population Israel must stop all military actions against the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority on its side, must do its outmost to end terrorist attacks on Israel, says Petersen.