Francis Elliott, Bethlehem
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Gordon Brown announced an extra $60 million for the Palestinian National Authority today urging both it and the Israeli Government to seize the chance for peace.
Speaking at a press conference with President Mahmoud Abbas, Mr Brown said the cash would help “underpin” a Palestinian state should the current round of talks conclude successfully.
Half of the additional funding – which will take the UK’s contribution to the PNA $175 million this year – will be spent keeping the administration afloat. The remainder is targeted at projects both to improve the territories’ security and economy. In particular Mr Brown said he wanted to support efforts to enable Palestinians to get cheap mortgages – something it is hoped might kick-start a moribund housing market in the occupied territories.
“There is a will on both sides to move this to a conclusion,” said Mr Brown, referring to res-started so-called ‘final status’ talks between the Palestinians and Israelis which envisage a two-state solution.
The Prime Minister balanced criticism of Tel Aviv’s failure to prevent the spread of settlements – a key sticking point of the negotiations - with demands that the PNA do more to prevent attacks on Israelis. He said that the settlements and the security wall increased the suffering of the Palestinian people and increased the price Isreal would ultimately have to pay to secure a deal.
President Abbas welcomed the money but said that the “biggest obstacle” to economic growth was the inability of Palestinians to move freely. He acknowledged, however, that Mr Brown’s trip co-incided with a number of “positive developments” in the region.
Mr Brown was due to meet the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, later today and will address the Knesset tomorrow, the first British prime minister to do so.
Earlier Mr Brown laid a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance at Yad Vashem in Jerasalem. In the guest book of the holocaust museum, he wrote: "Nothing prepares you for the story that is told of the atrocities that should never have happened and the truth that everyone who loves humanity should know. We must always remember so that prejudice, discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism be banished from our world. The museum's director, Avnar Shalev, who took the Prime Minister and his wife around the museum, said that both had been deeply moved. Mr Shalev said that Mr Brown had promised to continue to develop holocaust education programmes in Britain.
The Prime Minister is on a three-day trip to the Middle East which has already included visits to Kuwait and Iraq. In Baghdad yesterday he set out a path to British troop withdrawals that could see almost all soldiers leave within a year
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I guess that should be enough to buy about half a million AK 47s.
Colin, Bristol, England
I'm horrified. The NHS are denying people treatment, refusing to fund a better anti cervical cancer jab for girls, there's no more money for education, 1st time buyers aren't able to buy, food & fuel costs are up. GB's solution - give money abroad. Scarey, really, really scarey. He's a traitor.
michelle, Stoke on Trent,
How much more are we going to stand for , that is the question ? Sarkozy wouldn't get away with it .
Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,
OMG ... he has doubled it in the course of one day. He really is getting too big for his boots. Where is all this money coming from ? Is he hell bent on his holiday with his 2 sons? Has he developed some sort of bi polar illness? Old Gordie seems to think he is something...... Does Iran care?
Javaneh , Hatfield , Herts
Which planet is Brown living on ! With the problems we are experiencing here where exactly does this $60 Million come from ? I can guess !!!
What could we use the $60 million here for ?
Martin Briggs, Heversham, England
Perhaps that money would have been better spent helping Brits out..
Malcolm, Cambridge,
Is President Abbas a democratically elected person. I thought Hamas won the last elections fair and square!
Glynn, Kingston,
175 million in total this year - how much of this will go into secret bank accounts and luxurious homes abroad for their leaders? Where did the money we gave Arafat go? Certainly not into housing etc. for the people. Lots of spare land in Gaza - just left as wasteland. Sewers raided for rockets.
Kiwi, NZ,
Why are we giving money to a part of the world whose problems spring from religious hatred? Stop.
Tom Kay, London,
Eight years on I am still waiting for an explanation from the UK for the mysterious disappearance of £1.9 million that British
Council was allocated by UK DfID for a public administration project in that documents obtained later from DfID files under
the FOI confirmed was in fact 'non-existent.
neil robertson, Dundee (Twinned with Nablus), Scotland
We, in the UK too, need help with cheap mortgages so why can't GB help his own first? It's not like the UK is rolling in it tobe acting like the US to Israel!
Glynn, Kingston,
Brown spends our money in partisan support for the Palestinian Authority - but not for Hamas in Gaza - sucks up to America and Israel and looks forward to Israeli donations to the Labour Party.
richard mullens, London, Europe
"Half of the additional funding will be spent keeping the administration afloat"
Somethings don't change !
Richard Garland, Greater Manchester,
Absolutely daft given the situation in Britain. Who the dickens cares about the Middle East? If there was oil in Palestine BP would have found it years ago. It´s time to stop meddling and start pedaling.
RD, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
What??? Neither of my adult children can afford a mortgage. What is this man on? The general election can't come quickly enough. What makes Brown think that Palestinians need homes more than young people in Britain? He is an absolute nightmare and he has to go.
judy, Liverpool, England
£60mil for the palestinians and our troops are underpaid and under equiped. Shame of you Brown, you are an absolute disgrace.
Viv, London, England
Can someone remind Gordon Brown that charity begins at home. The UK government is seriously in debt and he is writing big cheques to support the rest of the world! This latest action speaks volumes about his competence and his respect for the people of Great Britain.
John, London, UK
It's good to see our PM is so altruistic, pity he can't see the problems his electorate are suffering.
What should be his priorities?
I think UK first, perhaps I'm wrong, but I'd take some persuading of that.
V. Glover, Penzance, UK
Brown is just contemptable ! His own country is a fast becoming mess so, he deems it acceptable to go to other countrys and gives them our hard earned money and tells them it will help, he needs to sort the mess out on his own front door. I will have a job in 2 years , He will not !!!
dave, romford, essex
Again another demonstartion of idiotic timing. Hey Gordon - you're not helping your Glasgow East candidate by spending Uk taxpayers hard earnt cash on causes (although commendable) that will have no impact on their current situation. The man is too foolish to run a bath let alone a country.
Raff, Ardeche, France
I'm beginning to feel Gordon Brown actually hates the UK. Why else would he be so eager to give all our heavily taxed cash away!
Arthur, Newcastle,
just wait till mugabe goes; then you'll see money haemorrhage away
Phil Barnes, preston, england
Unbelievable. No disgraceful.
ronnie, bucks, UK
Thank God someone is trying to stop this genocide mentality practiced by both sides. Now we have to get the new US president to sign off on a real peace process.
Archie Haase, Lubec, USA
Great. One headline says UK economy heads for horror movie and Gordon Brown wants to pump more money into a corrupt Palestinian state.
jon, london, uk
Given that the general popn of the UK is now tightening its belt, should we not decrease overseas spending, at least until the economy improves? We're told that charities within the UK are suffering from a downturn in donations, I think this should also apply to how tax money is used abroad.
Alistair, London,
60 million for the Palestine authority, but we are told there is no money in the kitty to improve the lot of our own soldiers, let alone to encourage mortgages in the UK and revive our own 'moribund' housing market.
maybe our PM is confused about whom he is responsible too
James, Bristol,