Nickolay Mladenov the UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process has said that the UN continues its efforts to implement the package of urgent humanitarian and economic interventions in Gaza called for at the September meeting in New York.
In his recent briefing to the Security Council Mladenov stated that Qatar had donated an additional USD 20 million to expand the UN cash-for-work program in Gaza adding that such donation would create some 10000 new temporary jobs in Gaza.
He also said the World Bank also launched its USD 17 million cash-for-work program which would create another 5000 temporary jobs in Gaza.
“The Palestinian people” he continued “need the support of the international community more than ever as a range of issues are exerting a heavy toll on those living in Gaza and the West Bank. These include ongoing violence the lack of progress towards peace financial pressures and unilateral measures by the Government of Israel.”
Mladenov cited a recent decision by Israel to withhold some $140 million in Palestinian tax revenue transfers (the equivalent of money paid to Palestinian prisoners and their families) and the decision of the US government to halt funding for UNRWA as factors driving financial instability in the occupied Palestinian territories.
