| Author (Person) | Cronin, David |
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| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.10, No.9, 11.3.04 |
| Publication Date | 11/03/2004 |
| Content Type | News |
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By David Cronin Date: 11/03/04 THE misuse of EU aid to the Palestinian Authority "cannot be excluded", a probe by the European Commission's anti-fraud office OLAF has found. However, the office has found no evidence to back Israeli claims that part of the €1.5 billion that the EU has given to the Palestinians in the past decade has been siphoned off to fund suicide bombers. It has, therefore, recommended that the controls to which the direct budgetary aid to the Palestinians are subjected should be reinforced. OLAF also feels there is a need for the Palestinians to clarify if funds originating from the EU could be circulating outside the official authority budget. The preliminary findings of the probe, launched in early 2003, are to be studied by a working group of MEPs. OLAF has decided that the investigation should continue. The investigation has so far involved two OLAF missions to the Middle East to study documents furnished by the Israeli government. The Commission decided to provide monthly budgetary support of €10 million to the Palestinians following the outbreak of the uprising in 2000, arguing funding is needed to prevent the authority collapsing due to Israel's decision to block the payment of tax revenues due to it. But OLAF notes that Israel has now made payments of money owed into the same bank account as the one used for EU funding. The Commission believes this indicates that Israel has confidence in the budgetary controls introduced by the Palestinians' Finance Minister Salam Fayyad. Report of the preliminary findings of an OLAF study into allegations by Israel that EU funds for the Palestinian Authority have been misused. |
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| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Subject Categories | Economic and Financial Affairs |
| Countries / Regions | Middle East |
