The EU demands that the support of $326 million per year is only provided if ‘the problematic and hateful material in Palestinian school textbooks’ is removed
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Saturday that he was against blocking financial aid to the West Bank’s Palestinian Authority (PA) over hateful and antisemitic content in Palestinian school books.
Earlier this week, the EU Parliament approved its budget but demanded that the support of $326 million per year would only be provided on the condition that “the problematic and hateful material in Palestinian school textbooks and study cards” is removed. On Friday, the bloc’s Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Olivier Varhelyi, announced a second study into the textbooks.
“The Palestinian Authority is in a difficult situation and it risks bankruptcy if financing from the EU is blocked,” said Borrell at a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Stockholm. “As High Representative, I will not allow it,” he told AFP.
Earlier this week, the European Parliament adopted a resolution condemning the PA for continuing to incite violence and hatred through its school textbooks, linking such incitement to an uptick in terror attacks by Palestinian teenagers.
“This matter has already been dealt with by the European External Action Service with the Palestinian Authority. We don’t need a new study or anything that would delay the payment of the financial aid that the Palestinian Authority needs,” Borrell continued.
“The payment of European aid faced delays two years ago, and it meant that people missed out on necessary help. There is no discussion about looking for excuses about blocking this financial aid. On this point I’m firm.”
The funds for 2023 have yet to be transferred, with the payment coming under the jurisdiction of a collegiate decision by the Commission, an EU spokesperson noted.
