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Europe disburses over 21 million
Euros to Palestinian public service providers and
pensioners
More than 77,000 public service providers and pensioners
are to benefit from social allowances through the
Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) established by
the European Union.
The beneficiaries, who have not received regular
salaries since February 2006, include teachers, doctors,
nurses, as well as other people working in the health
care sector. Each will receive NIS 1500 (270 Euros),
which will be paid directly into their bank account.
This is the seventh time this allowance is being paid
since the establishment of the TIM in June of last year.
The payment is intended to provide a safety net to
enable people to carry on working during the current
socio-economic crisis.
Since it was set up, the TIM has provided support to
maintain the provision of essential services in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip through allowances paid under the
Low Income Cases and Social Hardship Cases schemes, and
by delivering fuel supplies to hospitals, clinics, waste
water and desalination plants.
The TIM was established nine months ago at the
initiative of Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner. In
2006, EU member states together with the European
Commission have allocated nearly 700 million Euros to
the Palestinian people, of which more than 200 million
Euros have been made available through the TIM.
This payment is made with contributions from Finland,
Luxembourg, the United Kingdom and the European
Commission. Over one million Palestinians have now
benefited directly from assistance through the TIM.
On 21 March, the Quartet reiterated the continuing need
to coordinate and mobilize international assistance in
support of the Palestinian people, and endorsed the
continuation of the European Temporary International
Mechanism for a three-month period, until the end of
June. |
