Arab League calling in pledges to fund PA
Published yesterday (updated) 15/12/2012 16:45

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Arab League has begun calling in donor pledges to
Palestine from its members, but cannot confirm the exact date the so-called
Arab safety net will be transferred to the government.

Assistant Secretary General of Palestine Affairs in the Arab League Mohammad
Sbeih told Ma'an on Thursday evening that the group had opened
communications with Arab states over the $100 million monthly payment
promised on Sunday.

Sbeih said they have yet to get official responses, and will send formal
communiques to Arab states on Sunday to ascertain their position towards
contributions.

The monthly donation from the Arab League will be split according to each
member states' contribution to the League budget, Sbeih said.

He said the date of the first payment had yet to be determined.

Some Arab states might decline to contribute due to their own financial
problems, he said. Meanwhile, he noted that Kuwait and Saudi Arabia recently
transferred funds to the Palestinian Authority, while Egypt donated money
for Gaza's electricity bill.

The safety net is meant to cushion the indebted Palestinian Authority
government while Israel withholds part of its tax revenues, most recently
after Palestine won a membership upgrade at the UN on Nov. 29.