US Announces Additional Palestinian Aid
VOA News 10 November 2010
The United States has announced it will give the Palestinian Authority an additional $150 million in aid this year, amid increasing tensions between the Palestinians and Israel over the stalled Middle East peace talks.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the new aid package Wednesday in a news conference that included a video link with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
Clinton also said Israel's announcement this week that it plans to build 1,300 new apartments in disputed East Jerusalem is "counterproductive" to peace talks. However, she said a positive outcome in Middle East peace negotiations is still possible. Clinton is scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday.
Palestinians oppose Israeli construction in territory they want as part of a future state. They say they will not return to direct talks with Israel while new construction is under way. On Wednesday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for an "urgent" United Nations Security Council meeting to discuss new Israeli settlement-building.
In a Tuesday statement, Mr. Netanyahu's office insisted that "Jerusalem is not a settlement. It is the capital of the state of Israel."
Earlier Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama promised America will "spare no effort" in its attempt to bring peace to the Middle East. During a speech in Indonesia, he spoke about the difficult negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians but said the U.S. is committed to a peaceful future that sees Israel and a Palestinian state living side by side.
Mr. Obama also criticized Israel's decision to build new apartments in East Jerusalem.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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