BRUSSELS, June 23, 2009 (WAFA)- The European Union has announced Monday that it will exceptionally double the social allowance that provides a lifeline to some of the poorest families in the Gaza Strip.

The social allowance payment, which takes place every three months, will be launched by the Ministry of Social Affairs in cooperation with the European Union and will reach over 49,600 families in need across the West Bank and Gaza. Funds for the payment have been provided by the European Commission and the Governments of Italy and Austria.

Minister Social Affairs Majida Al Masri has ensured that starting from Tuesday 23 June, 2009, the Ministry will launch the payment of cash allowances totalling just under NIS75 million (Israeli currency) to around 50,000 vulnerable and poor families in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (with 24,834 in the WB, and 24,811 in the GS). These allowances are part of the framework of cooperation with the EU for supporting the 'Hardship Cases Programme' of the Ministry.

Minister Al Masri said that these allowances are part of the Palestinian National Authority's efforts, in cooperation with the EU, to meet the needs of vulnerable families.

She said that this payment would be doubled for Gaza beneficiaries due to the special situation faced by vulnerable families in Gaza. The Minister explained that she had instructed all specialists and employees in the Ministry and other responsible centres to work hard to ensure that these payments reached their intended beneficiaries in accordance with the EU's PEGASE mechanism.

All beneficiaries of the programme are identified in cooperation with the Ministries of Finance and Social Affairs, through the Palestinian Authority's cash support 'Hardship Cases Programme', designed to help the poorest and most vulnerable Palestinians. Payments are made over-the-counter at 43 branches of the Bank of Palestine and the Cairo Amman Bank.

The assistance takes the form of an allowance of NIS 1,000 (around €200) per household and will reach more than 49,600 families across the occupied Palestinian territory. The 24,811 recipient families who live in the Gaza Strip will exceptionally, and for this payment only, receive an allowance of NIS 2,000 (around €400), which includes an extra payment of NIS 1,000 funded by the European Commission.

'We had planned to make this additional payment to people in Gaza much earlier in the year, given the impact of the Israeli military offensive in January 2009, but the continued refusal of Israel to allow sufficient transfers of cash to banks in the Gaza Strip made it impossible to do this until now,' said Mr. Christian Berger, the European Commission Representative. 'Today we reiterate the call to Israel made unanimously by the 27 Member States of the EU last week to allow these transfers, as well as to open the crossings between Israel and Gaza for imports and exports of all kinds, immediately and without conditions. Unless this happens, the people of Gaza will continue to live in unjustifiable hardship and without hope.'

The European Commission has contributed €11 million, through the European Union's PEGASE mechanism, to the Palestinian Authority for this payment of social allowances. The Governments of Italy and Austria have contributed €1.5 and €1 million, respectively. This is the sixth payment of social allowances under the EU's PEGASE mechanism, bringing the total amount contributed so far to €56 million.

PEGASE is the main financing mechanism of the European Union, which is the largest donor to the Palestinian people. PEGASE programmes are designed to meet priorities identified by the Palestinian Authority in the Palestinian Reform and Development Plan.

Minister Al Masri commended the cooperation with the EU, saying that she highly appreciated the EU's support to the Palestinian people, particularly in the social assistance area and she added that this cooperation between the PA and the EU in providing humanitarian assistance was working well. She asked the international community to increase their efforts for removing the siege on the Gaza Strip so that the people of Gaza will meet their needs and live in liberty and dignity.