The Arab League General Secretariat decided to hold an emergency meeting of Arab finance ministers at its headquarters in Cairo early next week to discuss the means to provide a financial safety net for the Palestinian Authority in face of Israeli pressure.
Ambassador Hossam Zaki, Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League, said on Tuesday that it was decided to hold an emergency meeting at the invitation of Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit and in coordination and consultation with the Palestinians.
Zaki added that the meeting next week comes in implementation of the resolution issued by the emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers, which was held in Cairo on April 21 in the presence of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The resolution provided for the establishment of a financial safety net of $100 million per month in support of the State of Palestine to cope with political and financial pressures imposed by Israel.
On whether there were specific proposals from the Arab League to provide support to the Palestinians, Zaki said: “There are no specific suggestions, but the Palestinian side has welcomed grants and loans from Arab countries or financial institutions so that the Palestinian Authority can recover the funds and repay the loans.”
Zaki denied a link between the meeting of Arab finance ministers and the US economic workshop in Bahrain, stressing that the meeting comes in implementation of a previous decision of the Arab League.
Meanwhile, Aboul Gheit met on Tuesday with Azzam Al-Ahmad, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Central Committee of the Fatah Movement.
Discussions touched on latest political developments in the region, especially with regard to the Palestinian cause.
