Brussels, 18/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - As previously mentioned (see EUROPE of 15 March, p. 10), European Commissioner Chris Patten provided Enrique Baron, President of the Socialist group in the European Parliament, with a list if damages caused by the actions of the Israeli army on Palestinian projects financed by the EU. Mr Patten reminded Mr Baron that the issue had been discussed by the EU/Israel Association Council on 21 October 2002, and that the list of projects destroyed has been recently updated by the Commission office in Jerusalem, in coordination with the offices of the Member States representatives in Jerusalem and Ramallah.
The damages assessed on 14 December 2002 totalled approximately EUR 24 million (for projects financed by the EU), out of a total of 39 million (including the other donors). 32 cases of destruction are cited, concerning administrative buildings, hospitals, schools, water and electricity, irrigation projects, among which the most important concern: - Gaza international airport: EU share, EUR 9.5 million; - camps for the Palestinian civil police in the Gaza strip: 4.5 million; - Radio Palestine: 3 million; road to Jenin: 1.5 million; - electricity network in Gaza: 1.1 million. In his letter to Mr Baron, Mr Patten underlined that the level of poverty in Gaza and the West Bank now reaches "over 60%", and that the level of employment is around 50%. Such an economic and humanitarian situation destroys the hopes and prospects for stability and security both for Israel and the Palestinians, concluded the Commissioner. As for Enrique Baron, he commented: if the Israeli government talks of wanting a Palestinian state, it should begin by paying for the broken pots.