QATAR TO PROVIDE USD 5.5 MILLION IN MATERIAL AID

C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 000050 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM KPAL EFIN EAID PTER GZ IS QA SUBJECT: QATAR TO PROVIDE USD 5.5 MILLION IN MATERIAL AID TO PALESTINIANS IN GAZA REF: A. DOHA 06 1725 ¶B. DOHA 06 1712 ¶1. (SBU) The Amir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, directed the Qatar Red Crescent Society January 20 to provide QAR 20 million (USD 5.49 million) of immediate material aid to the Palestinian residents of Gaza. The aid will include medical supplies, food, and emergency electrical generation equipment. The Qatar Authority for Charitible Activites is to oversee all material aid, which regional and international charity organizations will deliver. The Amir also uged other Gulf Cooperation Council and Organization of the Islamic Conference countries to support the people of Gaza. ¶2. (SBU) The announcement comes in the wake of the much-publicized suffering of the population of the Gaza Strip after Israeli authorities ordered a blockade of the area in retalitation for rocket attacks into Israel. The announced material aid will be provided in addition to the USD 100 million in monetary aid announced by Qatar in 2006 to be provided to the Palestinian Authority (see reftels). ¶3. (C) The Israeli Trade Representative in Qatar, Roi Rosenblit, told CDA January 23 that he didn't know how Qatari aid could be physically transported to Gaza. He was not aware of any effort by the GOQ to coordinate this with the Israeli government. RATNEY