Qatar gives $50m to Hamas

2006-04-17 17:48

Doha - The gas-rich state of Qatar said on Monday it was giving $50m in aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government, the official QNA news agency said.

The allocation "represents Qatar's contribution to support the budget of the Palestinian Authority, based on a decision taken in the Khartoum summit (of Arab leaders) in March," QNA said quoting a foreign ministry official.

"This decision is based on Qatar's position in support of the Palestinian people," he said.

Iran announced on Sunday that it was giving $50m in aid to the cash-strapped Hamas-led Palestinian government following the suspension of funding from the United States and European Union.

Oil-rich Gulf countries Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for their part promised last week a total of $80m to the Palestinian Authority.

The Palestinian government has been tight on cash since the stunning win of the Islamists in January's legislative election, which prompted the international community to turn the pump off on the authority.

The European Union, which is the Palestinian Authority's main source of funding with €500m (about $610m) annually in aid, suspended aid to the Palestinians on April 11.

The United States and EU have demanded that Hamas renounce violence, recognise Israel and respect former Israeli-Palestinian agreements as preconditions for aid.

- AFP