MUSCAT: The Euro­pean Union and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have called for sustained aid for the Palestinian territories on Tuesday following concerns it could be axed after the weekend raid on Israel.

However, Denmark and Sweden said they were suspending Palestinian development aid, but maintaining humanitarian assistance for now. The announcements came a day after the European Commission launched a review of its development aid to Palestinians.

Foreign ministers from the EU and GCC blocs met in the Omani capital Muscat following mixed messages over EU aid after Monday’s meeting drew criticism for hinting at suspension of aid for Palestinians.

“They stressed the importance of sustained financial support for UNRWA (the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees),” said a joint declaration read out by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Denmark, Sweden suspend development aid

It was also necessary “to continue humanitarian and development support for Palestinians in the occupied territories”, said the statement.

Borrell said it was “false information” that Germany was cancelling aid, adding that it was condemned by the EU. “The German minister has clearly stated that this was not the case at all, that Germany will continue providing this support,” he told media.

Berlin was “certainly looking at further development of the medium and long term, but not suspending” aid, he said. The EU had earlier rowed back comments from neighbourhood commissioner Oliver Varhelyi that the 27-nation bloc had decided to suspend “all payments” to the Palestinians.

The EU’s executive arm said it was reviewing hundreds of millions of euros of development aid from the bloc, the biggest donor to the Palestinians, but that payments were not suspended.

Assistance on hold

The government in Copenhagen said in a statement it “has decided to put Danish development assistance to Palestine on hold”.

“A thorough review will be conducted to ensure that no Danish funding is misused to indirectly support organisations that attack Israel,” it said.

The review will be conducted “in close dialogue with Denmark’s partners in the EU and the Nordic countries”, it said. Sweden also said it was suspending development aid, but did not provide any immediate details on the amount.

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2023