[ADN Kronos] The European Union has paid allowances to 1,000 of the poorest Gazan families three months late, according to the Palestinian news agency Maan. The EU made the quarterly 200 dollar payments to more than 24,600 Gazans on behalf of the Italian government, the agency said.
The European external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner's spokeswoman Cristiane Hohmann confirmed to Adnkronos International (AKI) that the payment was late.
But she said it was because of Israeli restructions on cash flow into the coastal strip. "We had problems paying out the allowances because we couldn't get the cash into Gaza," she said.
"This is an ongoing problem - we already had it in autumn last year," Hohmann added. "It's very difficult for the families - it has exacerbated their situation."
| The heart [urp] bleeds ... |
The payments followed months of cash shortages in the Gaza Strip as Israeli authorities continue to refuse the regular shipment of cash into the territory's financial system.
The payments were from the European Commission in coordination with the Palestinian Authority's social affairs ministry. The allowances are paid four times a year to the poorest families.
The December 2008 payment was also delayed because of the cash shortage, and was not handed out to families until March 2009.
The Italian government made available 9.16 million euros to the PA for the social allowances which are part of an earlier Italian contribution of 20 million euros. |