- The Media Line - https://themedialine.org -

Donor Nations Fail to Fulfill Pledges to the Palestinian Authority


“Not even one penny” of the $5.4 billion pledged to the Palestinian Authority in the aftermath of the Gaza war by Arab nations has been received according to Palestinian Authority Deputy Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa. Major gifts to rebuild the Gaza Strip following the devastating 50-day war between Israel and Hamas that were announced by Qatar, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have remained unfulfilled, Mustafa said on Monday. Despite the appearance of a unity government including Fatah and Hamas, there has been no agreement on key issues such as control of the funding, authority over crossing points or movement of building materials. While the stagnation continues, tens of thousands of Gazans remain homeless. At the same time, rhetoric by the Hamas leadership in Gaza is becoming more militant and more threatening. In a positive development, construction of a $20 million Coca-Cola plant in Gaza began on Monday. Meanwhile, on Sunday the Rafah crossing point between Gaza and Egypt was opened for the second time in two months allowing more than 600 people enter Egypt, many of whom were seeking medical treatment. More than 50 Gazans living illegally in Egypt were sent back.