JERUSALEM, August 2, 2011 (WAFA) – The European Union (EU) Tuesday contributed €22.5 million to help the Palestinian Authority pay the July salaries and pensions of almost 83,000 Palestinian public service providers and pensioners, according to an EU press release.

It said that the contribution comes from the overall €145 million financial package in direct support to the Palestinian Authority budget of 2011, which the EU agreed to frontload at the request of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in order to meet the Palestinian Authority's urgent financial needs.

'This is a clear message of our solid commitment toward the Palestinian people at this critical time,” said Christian Berger, EU representative to the Palestinian Authority.

“We join our voice to Prime Minister Fayyad and call on other donors to respect and fulfil their commitments to the PA to ensure that the Palestinian people will continue to receive the essential services and the progress that has been achieved by the Palestinian Authority so far is sustained.'

Direct EU aid to the Palestinian Authority reached €1.12 billion since February 2008. Aid is channelled through PEGASE, the European mechanism for support to the Palestinians.

M.H./M.A.