The Australian Government's decision to end direct aid to the Palestinian Authority was influenced by the "conservative wing" of the Liberal Party and US President Donald Trump, the Palestinian Ambassador to Australia has alleged.
The head of the Palestinian delegation to Australia, Izzat Abdelhadi, rubbished Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's claim the Palestinian Authority (PA) was unable to provide sufficient evidence to Australia that its foreign aid was not supporting people convicted of political violence.
The Palestinian envoy to Canberra told SBS Arabic24 the Australian Government would receive “regular reports from the Palestinian Authority and World Bank on how these funds are spent".
“Two weeks ago, the Palestinian foreign minister sent Ms Bishop a lengthy reply letter supported by documents showing that the Palestinian Authority is not using the Australian funding for purposes other than those intended by the donor state,” Mr Abdelhadi said.
When SBS Arabic24 sought comment from Ms Bishop's office over Mr Abdelhadi's claim reports were regularly sent from the PA and that documentation was provided upon her enquiry in late May, Arabic24 was directed to the Minister's July 2 media statement.
“These cuts are but to double the sufferings and hardships of the families living in the Palestinian territories."
The Palestinian Ambassador said the Australian decision to cease the funding was partially due to the “influence of the conservative wing within the ruling Liberal party”. Mr Abdelhadi also attributed the Australian move to the PA's unwillingness to accept a proposal from the US that its Middle East envoy said was designed to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejected Trump's so-called "deal of the century", with a Palestinian official telling the Middle Eastern Eye the proposal would confine and limite the Palestinian state to the Gaza Strip.
Australian Government's decision to cease the $10 million per year it gave to the World Bank's trust fund for Palestinian recovery and development was announced by Ms Bishop earlier this week after the Foreign Minister said she had written to PA to seek clear assurance over how the Australian funding was spent.
Palestinian mourners carry the body of 21-year-old Razan al-Najjar during her funeral after she was shot dead by Israeli soldiers on June 2. Source: AFP
"I am confident that previous Australian funding to the PA through the World Bank has been used as intended," she said in a statement.
"However, I am concerned that in providing funds for this aspect of the PA’s operations there is an opportunity for it to use its own budget to activities that Australia would never support."
"It is vital that we ensure that our foreign aid is not being spent on, or making money available for, the promotion of terrorism."
The Palestinian Ambassador to Canberra said the Australian Government had no evidence to support this concern and confirmed to SBS Arabic24 the funds were solely used by the World Bank to pay the wages of teachers and medical staff.
“I can assure you 200 percent that the Australian funding does not go to the families of the Palestinians convicted of politically motivated violence or to pay for purposes other than those intended by the Australian Government," Mr Abdelhadi said.
“These cuts are but to double the sufferings and hardships of the families living in the Palestinian territories."
In Ms Bishop's announcement of the cut to the PA's aid on Monday, she provided assurance that the Australian Government remained committed to supporting vulnerable Palestinians and would be directing $10 million to the United Nations’ Humanitarian Fund for the Palestinian Territories.
A Palestinian man hold banners against cutting off food aid during the protest outside the UN headquarters in Gaza City, Jan. 4, 2018, Source: Getty
Coalition backbencher Eric Abetz was among those to support the decision.
"Minister Bishop's strong and decisive decision today to ensure that the Palestinian Authority can no longer use our aid to free up money in its budget for state-promoted terrorism is very positive," he said.
"It is vital that we ensure that our foreign aid is not being spent on, or making money available for, the promotion of terrorism and so funnelling our aid to the Palestinian Territories through the United Nations will provide greater assurance that the Palestinian Authority's clever accounting cannot occur."
The Australian Government's move comes four months after the United States halted its own funding to the PA if the latter refused to end its "Martyr" compensation scheme which supports Palestinians convicted of political violence and the families of those killed during the conflict.
Israeli soldiers talk during clashes with Palestinian protesters following a demonstration against the expropriation of Palestinian land by Israel. Source: AFP
Mr Abdelhadi said these payments were not taken from the foreign aid the PA received as it could cover them with its $7b budget.
"The Palestinian Authority does not need to pay for the Palestinians from the Australian aid," he said.
“We can pay for the Palestinian families from the budget whose money comes from taxes and tariffs that the Israeli government collects on the Palestinian leadership's behalf.”
Australia allocated $43 million in total aid to the Palestinian Territories in 2018-19.
The territories covering the West Bank and Gaza Strip are among the poorest regions in the Middle East.
