Summary: May 11, 2001 : Commission approves almost €10 million in humanitarian assistance for victims of the crisis in the Palestinian territories (Brussels)
The European Commission has recently approved two humanitarian aid decisions, totaling €9.96 million, to help meet the needs of vulnerable families affected by the crisis in the Palestinian territories. Recent events have led to large-scale job losses and the economic situation has grown steadily worse with the passage of time. The money, channeled through the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), will fund, inter alia, the distribution of food, the supply of water and sanitation and the provision
of health care.
In the past, refugees in the Middle East have been the main beneficiaries of European humanitarian assistance, reflecting the fact that extreme poverty is normally most prevalent within this population group. One significant effect of the current crises is that this correlation is no longer valid. Poverty levels in the Palestinian territories have risen sharply in the period since the troubles began and are now higher in both rural and urban areas than in the refugee camps.
The latest decisions reflect this change, targeting highly vulnerable families in settled communities as well as refugees who are most at risk. The funds, which are being channeled through the Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO), will be used for a range of actions run by ECHO partners including the distribution of food and essential non-food items, the construction of water/sanitation facilities and shelter, and the provision of health care including psychosocial support.
Since the crisis began, the European Commission has also provided an extra €15 million in emergency humanitarian support to the victims. This is in addition to funds already programmed by ECHO in its intervention plans for the Middle East.
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