Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide announced on Thursday in Oslo the provision of additional aid to Palestine valued at 125 million Norwegian kroner, equivalent to approximately $13.2 million, through the United Nations and the World Bank, to support the Palestinian public sector budget.
Relief Web quoted Eide as saying, "The need for international support for Palestine has never been greater," pointing out that Gaza's residents are still suffering the consequences of the war, with limited access to food, clean water, electricity, and healthcare.
He noted that widespread destruction, resource shortages, and ongoing uncertainty are hindering reconstruction efforts, calling for accelerated early recovery, allowing more humanitarian aid to enter, and implementing the 20-point peace plan adopted by the UN Security Council last year.
For his part, Eide stressed that Palestinians must lead the reconstruction process, and reiterated his country's rejection of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, warning that escalating settler attacks, settlement expansion, and tightened restrictions on Palestinian movement are increasing insecurity and undermining the chances of reaching a political solution.
Oslo has provided nearly 1 billion kroner in aid to Palestine this year. The announcement of the new aid comes in the week Eide chairs the meeting of the Contact Group, tasked with coordinating donor support for Palestine, in New York.
Norway, alongside Saudi Arabia and the European Union, also leads the "Global Alliance for Implementing the Two-State Solution" initiative, officially launched in September 2024 to support sustainable peace.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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