DEMARCHE RESPONSE: EU GIVES ADDITIONAL 3M EURO FOR

UNCLAS BRUSSELS 000010 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR PRM/ANE MRAMGOOLIE FOR NEA/IPA SHANKINS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID LE PGOV PHUM PREL UNRWA EUN SUBJECT: DEMARCHE RESPONSE: EU GIVES ADDITIONAL 3M EURO FOR GAZA REF: STATE 135559 ¶1. (U) The European Commission allocated 3 million euros from its general humanitarian budget on January 4 in response to the current crisis in Gaza. Total 2009 Commission funding for Gaza and the West Bank is 290 million euros, which includes 55 million from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) and 235 million from the Directorate General for External Relations (RELEX). ¶2. (SBU) Political/Refugee Officer delivered reftel points January 6 to Andrea Koulaimah, Deputy Head of Unit for the Middle East at ECHO, and Andrea Fontana, Desk Officer for the Palestinian Territories at RELEX. Koulaimah said ECHO had programmed 52 million euros for Gaza and the West Bank for 2009, and increased that amount by 3 million euros this week in response to the humanitarian crisis. Approximately 2 million of the 3 million euros will go to the UN for its flash appeal and the remaining 1 million will go to NGOs providing emergency assistance. Programming of the original 52 million has not yet been finalized, but should be allocated by early February to a combination of international organizations and NGOs, she said. ¶3. (SBU) Fontana said the RELEX funding of 235 million euros is earmarked for fuel delivery and paying salaries of Palestinian Authority officials. He said RELEX is currently having difficulties delivering fuel to Gaza and is putting its efforts into securing a cease-fire on both sides. Neither RELEX nor ECHO has any plans currently to allocate additional funds beyond the 290 million euro earmarked for ¶2009. SILVERBERG .