Gaza aid pledges exceed US$4.4bn

Gaza aid pledges exceed US$4.4bn

James Reinl, United Nations Correspondent

* Last Updated: March 03. 2009 10:01AM UAE / March 3. 2009 6:01AM GMT



SHARM EL SHEIKH, EGYPT // Donors from around the world gathered to offer billions of dollars for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip yesterday, but the delegates raised serious concerns over whether the donations pledged could ever rebuild the bombed-out Palestinian territory.

Even before delegates from almost 80 nations arrived in Egypt’s Red Sea resort town yesterday, a request by the Palestinian Authority for US$2.8 billion (Dh10.3bn) appeared already within reach. A US pledge of more than $900 million, the European Union’s $550m and a $1.65bn package over five years from the Gulf states helped surpass the target sum, bringing the total amount of aid committed to $4.481bn, according to Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Egyptian foreign minister.

Delegates focused instead on pressuring Israel to open crossings into Gaza to allow the delivery of vast quantities of cement and steel needed for rebuilding after its 22-day military bombardment of the strip.

Envoys grappled with issues such as rebuilding without allowing cash, aid or building supplies to fall into the hands of Hamas, which controls the territory but is shunned by the West as a terrorist organisation.

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