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DFID Palestinian Programme
Middle East and North Africa Department
1 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5HE
Tel: 020 7023 0860 | Fax: 020 7023 0744
Email:
dfid_jerusalem@dfid.gov.uk
Map courtesy of the FCO
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DFID Jerusalem
c/o British Consulate General
4 Esa'af Nashashibi Street,
Sheikh Jarrah
PO Box 19690,
East Jerusalem 97200
Tel: 00972 253 284 60 | Fax: 00972 253 284 61 |
Occupied Palestinian Territories
Palestinian Programme
The Middle East remains a top priority for the UK Government. DFID works
closely with the FCO and other departments to deliver effective support to the
Palestinian people in a very complex environment. Our three broad objectives are
to:
- Enhanced prospects for peace;
- More effective, accountable and inclusive Palestinian institutions and
governance systems; and
- Humanitarian and development assistance delivered more effectively.
At the Paris pledging conference on 17 December the Secretary of State
announced a three year aid package of up to £243 million, linked to Israeli and
Palestinian actions to make that aid effective. UK support will double in 2008
to £62 million and increase to up to £104 million in 2010/11.
The Middle East remains a top priority for the UK Government. The UK is
working hard to support a sustainable peace process leading to a two-state
solution. We want to see a viable Palestinian state living in peace alongside
Israel.
The Palestinian programme is a challenging, fast-moving and high profile
programme. With 15 full-time people in Jerusalem and London, we are managing a
rapidly expanding programme and working closely with the FCO and other
departments to develop policy in a very complex environment.
2006 and 2007 were characterised by political uncertainty, economic decline
and worsening insecurity, which greatly hindered efforts to reduce poverty in
the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). While Hamas were in the Palestinian
Authority government (Jan 2006 - Jun 2007), direct assistance to the Palestinian
Authority (PA) was not possible. However, the UK and EU continued to deliver aid
directly to the Palestinian people. A key element of this was the Temporary
International Mechanism (TIM), which DFID helped to design and through which we
have contributed £15 million to date. The TIM provides goods and services for
health and education; funds utilities such as electricity, water and sanitation;
and pays allowances to public sector workers and the poorest Palestinians.
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After the Hamas takeover of Gaza in June 2007 President Abbas appointed Salam
Fayyad to head a new government. Since then DFID has worked closely with Prime
Minister Fayyad and others in his government to find the most effective ways of
providing direct assistance to help establish security and economic stability in
the OPTs.
There is cause for optimism as 2008 begins. The US-hosted Annapolis
conference in November saw the Israelis and Palestinians relaunch negotiations
that had been frozen for seven years and agree to seek a peace deal by the end
of 2008. At the Donor conference in Paris a month later donors pledged an
estimated $7.4 billion to help the Palestinians build a viable and sustainable
Palestinian state.
However, international aid alone cannot be expected to resolve all the issues
in the OPTs. Over the past few months the UK has led the way in highlighting the
link between increased aid being effective and actions by both Israel and the
PA. Ahead of the Paris conference the Secretary of State said:
“A lasting resolution to the conflict will ultimately depend on brave choices
and long term commitment from both Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Important first steps will be for the PA to implement its reform agenda, and for
Israel to reduce the movement and access restrictions in the West Bank and Gaza.
These are having a very severe effect on the economic and humanitarian situation
in the area, and easing them would provide a clear signal of Israel’s commitment
to peace.”
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DFID is the UK Government Department responsible for delivering aid to
Palestinians. For information on political issues or the UK government's
relations with Israel, please refer to the
 Foreign
and Commonwealth Office's website on the Middle East Peace Process.
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Links
Last updated: 12 February 2008
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(1.3
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