UNITED NATIONS, May 10: The international partners in the Middle East peace process on Tuesday endorsed a temporary mechanism to funnel assistance directly to the Palestinian people.

The donors have been reluctant so far to fund the Hamas-led Palestinian government as it has refused to recognise Israel.

The move came after senior officials of the diplomatic Quartet — the UN, European Union (EU), Russia and the United States — held consultations hosted by Secretary-General Kofi Annan, including a meeting with the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

“The Quartet expressed serious concern about deteriorating conditions in the West Bank and Gaza, and about the delivery of humanitarian assistance, economic life, social cohesion and Palestinian institutions,” Mr Annan said at a press conference after the meetings, highlighting the main points of an agreed statement adopted by the Quartet.

He added that the group therefore “welcomed the UN’s offer to develop and propose such a mechanism, and invites donors and international organizations to consider participating.” It also urged Israel, in parallel, to take steps to improve the humanitarian situation of the Palestinian people.

In its statement, the Quartet called for a means of aid delivery that is limited in scope and duration, operates with full transparency and accountability, and ensures direct delivery of assistance to the Palestinian people.

“If these criteria can be met, the operation of the temporary international mechanism should begin as soon as possible and be reviewed after three months to determine whether it should continue,” the diplomatic group said.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stressed that the quartet’s statement called for a temporary mechanism that could be cancelled if it did not work out.