RESTRICTION SUMMARY: Gaza - 24 November 2021. Palestinians of Social Affairs take part in a protest to demand the payment of their allowances, in front of United Nations Development Programme office (UNDP)

0.1 SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Habib Al-Qarnawi
0.2 SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Sobhi Al-Maghraby, media spokesperson

STORYLINE:

The PM will urge European countries to support the peace process, resume support for the Palestinian government’s budget, and pressure Israel to remove obstacles barring elections in occupied Jerusalem.

Palestinian officials have previously warned that the PA is suffering from a stifling financial crisis due to Israel’s deduction of Palestinian tax funds, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the decline in international support.

The Ministry of Finance announced that the PA had received just $31.7 million in total foreign budget support this year, compared to the $446 million received by the end of August 2019.

Head of EU’s media office in Jerusalem, Shadi Othman announced last week the bloc’s commitment to supporting social affairs allocations to Palestinian families, saying they will be available at the beginning of 2022.

Several European countries have already resumed their aid to the Palestinians by disbursing an estimated payment of €92 million for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Footage by APAwire