The German announcement of the aid review had sparked a mixed reaction at home and elsewhere, with critics saying the Palestinian people were not responsible for the Hamas attacks…reports Asian Lite News
Germany’s Foreign Ministry declared on Saturday that it has thoroughly examined humanitarian aid payments to the Palestinian territories, finding no evidence of misuse. This review was prompted by the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel. Europe stands as a primary source of aid for the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, with around 2.1 million people, including 1 million children, estimated by the United Nations to require humanitarian assistance.
The German announcement of the aid review had sparked a mixed reaction at home and elsewhere, with critics saying the Palestinian people were not responsible for the Hamas attacks, news agency Reuters reported.
Despite pledging unwavering support for Israel, Berlin emphasizes Israeli security as its “reason of state,” rooted in its responsibility for the Holocaust, during which approximately six million Jews were killed in Nazi Germany, it was reported.
The Foreign Ministry assured that the review of humanitarian aid revealed no anomalies related to possible indirect aid for terrorist organizations. However, a separate review by the Development Ministry, leading to the suspension of development aid after the Hamas attacks, is still ongoing, according to a ministry spokesperson.
On October 9, the European Commission initially declared the suspension of aid to Palestinians, only to reverse the decision later that day after complaints from EU countries, citing overstepping boundaries.
The German Development Ministry had allocated 250 million euros ($272 million) for bilateral projects in the Palestinian territories for this and the next year, although the amount disbursed thus far remains undisclosed. Of the pledged 71 million euros for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), funds were released, with an additional 20 million euros made available. These funds aim to sustain basic services for displaced people in Gaza and support Palestinian refugees in Jordan.
In total, Germany has provided humanitarian aid amounting to around 161 million euros ($175.6 million) for people in Palestinian territories this year, it was reported.