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Italy Pledges Additional 35 Million Euros of Aid for Palestinians

Italy's Minister for Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani (L) shakes hands with State of Palestine Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa (R) after their meeting at Farnesina Palace, in Rome, Italy 25 May 2024. EPA/GIUSEPPE LAMI
Italy's Minister for Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani (L) shakes hands with State of Palestine Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa (R) after their meeting at Farnesina Palace, in Rome, Italy 25 May 2024. EPA/GIUSEPPE LAMI
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Italy Pledges Additional 35 Million Euros of Aid for Palestinians

Italy's Minister for Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani (L) shakes hands with State of Palestine Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa (R) after their meeting at Farnesina Palace, in Rome, Italy 25 May 2024. EPA/GIUSEPPE LAMI
Italy's Minister for Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani (L) shakes hands with State of Palestine Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa (R) after their meeting at Farnesina Palace, in Rome, Italy 25 May 2024. EPA/GIUSEPPE LAMI

Italy will resume funding for the United Nations' Palestinian relief organization UNRWA as part of a 35 million euro ($38 million) aid package, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Saturday.
Tajani made the commitment during a meeting in Rome with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa.
The Italian minister said five million euros would go to UNRWA projects, with the remainder destined for its "Food for Gaza" initiative.
Italy was one of a number of countries to block aid for UNRWA following accusations by Israel that some of the agency's staff were involved in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel that triggered the Gaza war.
"Italy has decided to resume financing specific projects destined to help Palestinian refugees but only after rigorous checks that guarantee that not one cent risks ending up supporting terrorism," Reuters quoted Tajani as saying.
UNRWA employs 13,000 people in Gaza, running the enclave's schools, its primary healthcare clinics and other social services, and distributing humanitarian aid.
In recent weeks, several countries have resumed funding the agency. Germany said last month it would resume cooperation with UNRWA following a report led by former French foreign minister Catherine Colonna into UNRWA's procedures for ensuring adherence to principles of neutrality.

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France to Host Lebanon Aid Conference, Macron Says

France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the closing session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the closing session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
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France to Host Lebanon Aid Conference, Macron Says

France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the closing session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. (AFP)
France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during the closing session of the 19th Summit of the Francophonie at the Grand Palais in Paris, on October 5, 2024. (AFP)

France will host an international conference this month to help drum up humanitarian aid for Lebanon and strengthen security in the southern part of the country, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday.

"We will hold in the next few weeks a conference to provide humanitarian aid, support the international community and support the Lebanese armed forces boost security, especially in southern Lebanon," Macron said after a meeting of French speaking countries in Paris.

Israel has begun an intense bombing campaign in Lebanon and sent troops across the border in recent weeks after nearly a year of exchanging fire with Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Fighting had previously been mostly limited to the Israel-Lebanon border area, taking place in parallel to Israel's year-old war in Gaza against Palestinian group Hamas.  

Earlier, Macron said shipments of arms used in the conflict in Gaza should be stopped as part of a broader effort to find a political solution.  

France is not a major weapons provider for Israel, shipping military equipment worth 30 million euros ($33 million) last year, according to the defense ministry's annual arms exports report.  

"I think the priority today is to get back to a political solution (and) that arms used to fight in Gaza are halted. France doesn't ship any," Macron told France Inter radio.  

"Our priority now is to avoid escalation. The Lebanese people must not in turn be sacrificed, Lebanon cannot become another Gaza," he added.  

Macron's comments come as his Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot is on a four-day trip to the Middle East, wrapping up on Monday in Israel as Paris looks to play a role in reviving diplomatic efforts.