Arab states approve ‘financial safety net’ for Palestinians

Agencies/Doha

HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the Arab Peace Initiative Committee meeting in Doha yesterday

Arab states yesterday agreed to set a “financial safety net” for the Palestinian Authority if Israel freezes due monthly revenue estimated at around $100mn, Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erakat said. The Palestinian side had asked for the assistance during a meeting of the special ministerial Arab League’s Peace Initiative Committee, in Doha yesterday. It asked for “a financial safety net to be used in case the Israeli side opted to blackmail us through withholding due taxes and revenues which are estimated at around $100 million per month,” Erakat said after the meeting. “We requested this amount as a safety net from the Arab brothers and it has been agreed upon, and we hope that the matter will be processed... and an execution mechanism established.” Israeli authorities levy taxes and custom duties on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, under interim peace deals. But Israel has in the past frozen such processing of PA revenues at times of escalated tension.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat talks with the media after attending the Arab Peace Initiative Committee meeting in Doha yesterday

Meanwhile, the Arab Peace Initiative Ministerial Committee has called on the Palestinian parties to proceed with the option of national reconciliation, and work to overcome difficulties and obstacles. The committee welcomed, in the final statement of its  meeting here yesterday, efforts to achieve reconciliation through the agreement concluded recently in Cairo on forming a competent transitional government and the arrangements for presidential and legislative elections as well as other efforts  aimed at  completing the steps to achieve reconciliation under Egypt’s sponsorship. The committee also called for lifting all forms of unjust and illegal Israeli siege on  Gaza Strip, regarding that as a violation of the international law and humanitarian law. The committee stressed in its statement the Arab League Council resolution No. 7505 of last May 6, and in particular the seventh paragraph thereof, which called to submit a request for an extraordinary session of the UN General Assembly to discuss the issue of  Palestinian and Arab detainees in Israeli jails. The committee condemned the continuation of Israel’s detention of thousands of Palestinian and Arab prisoners which represents a flagrant violation of principles of  international law,  international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions. It said that Israel should be fully responsible for the safety of lives of all prisoners and detainees, urging the international community to compel the Israeli government to  release prisoners and detainees, especially those who were arrested before the end of 1994.

Arab LeagueCouncil meetingsupports SudanThe Arab League Council has reiterated its full solidarity with Sudan and welcomed its prompt response to the UN Security Council Resolution No. 2046  of  2012 to resume negotiations with South Sudan in Addis Ababa under the auspices of the African Union (AU) high -level team.The negotiations aim to resolve the pending issues between the two countries, in the period after separation and according to the approved action plan of the UN Security Council resolution with an emphasis on the importance of giving priority to resolve security issues. In a statement issued at the end of its extraordinary meeting at the ministerial level, held in Doha yesterday, the Arab League Council stressed its support for the African Union team’s efforts to facilitate negotiations between Sudan and South Sudan.