The European Commission has pledged to provide euro100 million (USD131 million) as its initial aid package for Palestinians in 2011.
In a Dec. 22 press release, the commission said it will channel euro60 million of the funding through PEGASE, a facility launched in February 2008 to finance wages and pensions of essential civilian workers such as medical and teaching staff.
The rest of the funding will go to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The agency extends basic health, education and social safety net services to millions of Palestinian refugees.
