Palestinian vice president Nabil Shaath pleaded Tuesday for urgent European financial aid ahead of Palestinian legislative elections in July. Shaath made the appeal to a group of visiting French deputies, a spokeswoman for the delegation said. "Mr Shaath explained that the majority of the Palestinian people don't want an Islamist state," the spokeswoman said in reference to the radical Islamist Palestinian group Hamas which plans to part in the July 17 polls. The EU is the largest donor of aid to the Palestinians. The office of EU External Affairs Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in February that the bloc would provide the Palestinian Authority with EUR 250 million (USD 320 million) to help set up a viable Palestinian state and rebuild shattered infrastructure.| My surprise meter pinged a bit that a PA official was concerned about the influence of Hamas. |
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