Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said on Monday 16 May that the EU must find a way to release more than €3 million for the Palestinian Authority, which the Commission will not transfer because of allegations that Palestinian school books contain anti-Semitic, racist or incitement to hatred and violence.
“The EU should give a signal today that the money should be released and that we are there to support basic services on the ground for the Palestinian people through the Palestinian authorities”, he said on his arrival at the Foreign Affairs Council.
The minister recalled that these were European funds and not European Commission funds “and the Member States want the release (of these funds), so that the Palestinian Authority can provide basic services to its population and this should not be delayed any further”. In his view, the majority of Member States believe that the Commission has no reason to justify the delay.
Mr Coveney recalled that at last month’s ministerial discussion, all but one member state had called for the immediate release of the funds (see EUROPE 12930/7). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)