BRUSSELS (AP) 鈥� The late Monday reversed an earlier announcement by an EU commissioner that the bloc was 鈥渋mmediately鈥� suspending development aid for Palestinian authorities and instead said it would urgently review such assistance in the wake of the to make sure no money was misused.
鈥淭here will be no suspension of payments鈥� at the moment, a terse European Commission statement said late Monday, five hours after EU Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi had said that all payments from the development program for Palestinians would be 鈥渋mmediately suspended. All projects put under review. All new budget proposals 鈥� postponed until further notice.鈥�
No immediate explanation for the reversal was given. A full European Commission statement always trumps a statement from an EU commissioner, but the reversal on a 691 million-euro ($730 million) program capped an embarrassing day at the EU鈥檚 executive at a time of extreme geopolitical sensitivities.
Since Saturday, support of the 27-nation bloc for Israel had been steadfast, including that the country had now every right within international law to defend itself in the war with Hamas.
The surprise announcement by Varhelyi on development aid came just hours after EU officials stressed that no EU money whatsoever was going to in the first place and that contacts had been frozen for 16 years. The EU considers Hamas a terror group.
After hours of uncertainty over how deep the measures would reach and whether they would possibly also affect aid to those in immediate need, the European Commission said there was no suspension for now, but said it started 鈥渁n urgent review of the EU's assistance for Palestine.鈥�
鈥淭he objective of this review is to ensure that no EU funding indirectly enables any terrorist organization to carry out attacks against Israel,鈥� the statement said. The EU says it already has very strict rules in place to screen and vet beneficiaries and to make sure no such funds are made available to terrorists.
The statement said that the European Commission would 鈥渆qually review if, in light of the changed circumstances on the ground, its support (programs) to the Palestinian population and to the Palestinian Authority need to be adjusted.鈥�
And EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also criticized Varhelyi, insisting that 鈥渢he suspension of the payments 鈥� punishing all the Palestinian people 鈥� would have damaged the EU interests in the region and would have only further emboldened terrorists.鈥�
The EU says it's the biggest donor to the Palestinian people and has been advocating for years for the two-state approach that has guided international diplomacy since the 1993 Oslo peace accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization.
Some of its programs though have been dogged by allegations that funds could be siphoned off for unintended use.
EU foreign ministers are slated to meet in Muscat, Oman, and by videoconference on Tuesday to discuss the situation and determine what actions should be taken.
鈥淭he foundations for peace, tolerance and coexistence must now be addressed. Incitement to hatred, violence and glorification of terror have poisoned the minds of too many,鈥� Varhelyi wrote.
During an earlier briefing Monday, the European Commission sought to draw a clear line between Hamas, which it considers a terrorist organization, and the Palestinian people, who are in need of humanitarian aid. The commission said that humanitarian aid wouldn't be affected by the review.
According to the bloc, it has provided humanitarian aid to help meet Palestinians鈥� basic needs since 2000 through the European Commission鈥檚 humanitarian aid department (ECHO) and the . Since 2000, ECHO has provided 700鈥痬illion euros of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The EU鈥檚 most populous member, Germany, and its neighbor Austria, said they were suspending development aid for the Palestinian areas for the moment.
The Development Ministry in Berlin said there was no direct German financing of the Palestinian Authority, but a total of 250 million euros ($265 million) is currently pledged in German aid 鈥� half of that for bilateral projects via Germany鈥檚 overseas aid agency and development bank and the other half for the U.N. agency for the Palestinians, UNRWA.
Like the European Commission, Development Minister Svenja Schulze said in a statement that Germany took great care that its aid for Palestinians 鈥渟erves peace and not the terrorists.鈥�
鈥淏ut these attacks on Israel are a terrible watershed, so we will review our whole commitment to the Palestinian areas,鈥� she added.
Schulze said that Germany wants above all to discuss with Israel 鈥渉ow we can best serve peace in the region and security for Israel with our development projects.鈥� She noted that Israel also has an interest in Palestinians being able to live in long-term stability, and said Germany will also coordinate with its international partners.
Germany isn't suspending the humanitarian aid it provides separately via international nongovernmental organizations and the U.N., the Foreign Ministry said. Ministry spokesperson Christian Wagner said Monday that much of the 72 million euros pledged this year has been paid out, and payments will continue because they support 鈥渓ife-saving work.鈥�
Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg told Oe1 radio on Monday that all development aid payments will be 鈥減ut on ice for now.鈥� He put the funds affected at about 19 million euros.
He said that Austria will review all projects with the Palestinian areas and consult with its international partners on further steps.
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Samuel Petrequin in Brussels, and Geir Moulson in Berlin, contributed to this report.
Raf Casert, The Associated Press
