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Parliamentary question - E-013644/2013Parliamentary question
E-013644/2013

Use and monitoring of development cooperation funds for the Palestinian Territory

Question for written answer E-013644-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Sari Essayah (PPE)

For some time, the European Union has provided support for development cooperation in the Palestinian Territory. For example, in 2011, the EU granted EUR 459 million to the Palestinians in the form of assistance for various sectors. At first, EU aid went on development cooperation, but following the second Palestinian uprising, financial aid was granted directly to the Palestinian National Authority. Furthermore, many EU Member States, Finland for example, support development cooperation in the Palestinian Territory.

In the past 10 years, the EU has also given as much as a billion euros to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). One of the aims of UNRWA is to provide support for the education sector and guarantee a first-rate education for Palestinian children, one whose values are built on human dignity, tolerance, cultural identity, gender equality and human rights. In addition, in the summer of 2013, UNRWA organised the ‘Summer Fun Weeks’ children’s camps, whose purpose is to give the children of Gaza a break from the conflict and the poverty that engulfs them, with a programme of recreation and activities taking place during the summer holiday. The objective is to prevent radicalisation among the children by encouraging tolerance. As a United Nations organisation, one of UNRWA’s key values is impartiality.

Misgivings have been expressed, however, that the ‘Summer Fun Weeks’ camps have also been the setting for activities that are contrary to UNRWA’s values of impartiality and tolerance, and have stirred up feelings of hostility towards Israel and the Israelis. It has also been claimed that the text books used in schools in Gaza are strongly biased and smack of Hamas ideology. It is most important to ensure that funds intended for responsible and acceptable activities do not end up being used to support questionable activities as a result of poor monitoring.

How does the EU support the neutrality of schools in the Palestinian Territory?

How does the EU oversee the use of the financial aid it grants in the Palestinian Territory, and ensure, in particular, that the money is not used to promote the values of Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organisation, even indirectly?

OJ C 263, 12/08/2014