Doha: The Arab League has agreed to provide a monthly sum of 100 million dollars to “the state of Palestine”, deciding this at a meeting in Qatar’s capital Doha on Sunday.
The Arab League representatives pledged to give a “financial safety net” to Palestinian Authority government in order to make up for punitive measures imposed by the Israeli government after United Stations conferred Palestine with nonmember observer state title.
Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi said after the meeting that the “mechanism is that the chair of the committee (Qatar) and the secretary-general will contact each country with the exact amount they have to pay.”
Saeb Erekat, the chief negotiator from the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), said, “We agreed that Arab states activate a resolution of providing $100 million per month.”
Earlier, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad warned that the entity may fall financially and cease to exist.
Sheikh Hamad, who heads an Arab League follow-up committee, said the initiative tabled in 2002 by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by the Arab League would “not be on offer forever.”
Mahmood Abbas told the meeting that he was opposed to a withdrawal of the offer, fearing that it could lead to regional conflict.
