Abbas Suspends Funding to Yasser Arafat Foundation

Nasser al-Qudwa during a Zoom meeting with his National Democratic Forum members.
Nasser al-Qudwa during a Zoom meeting with his National Democratic Forum members.
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Abbas Suspends Funding to Yasser Arafat Foundation

Nasser al-Qudwa during a Zoom meeting with his National Democratic Forum members.
Nasser al-Qudwa during a Zoom meeting with his National Democratic Forum members.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to cut off funding to the Yasser Arafat Foundation, Nasser al-Kidwa, who heads the organization revealed on Monday.

This came one week after Abbas dismissed Kidwa from Fatah.

In a Zoom meeting on Monday, Kidwa briefed his party about Abbas’s decision and revealed a document signed by Head of the Palestine National Fund (PNF) Ramzi Khoury instructing PA Minister of Finance Shukri Bishara to halt all direct and indirect payments to the Foundation on orders from Abbas as of March 11.

The Yasser Arafat Foundation is an independent non-profit organization, established in 2008 to preserve Arafat’s heritage and legacy. It also addresses the development of charitable, humanitarian, social and academic activities that serve the Palestinian people.

Kidwa, the 67-year-old nephew of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, had earlier announced he would run on his own electoral list, which would consist of independents, business people and youth.

He also announced the establishment of the Palestinian National Democratic Forum that would run in the elections, stressing that he was trying to put Fatah back on the right path.

Sacked prominent Fatah member Mohammed Dahlan had also announced he would field a separate list.

The parliamentary and presidential polls are set for May 22 and July 31, respectively, and will be the first Palestinian elections in 15 years.



Over 100 Patients to Be Evacuated from Gaza, WHO Says

 A youth salvages items from the rubble of a building destroyed in Israeli strikes in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on November 5, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (AFP)
A youth salvages items from the rubble of a building destroyed in Israeli strikes in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on November 5, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (AFP)
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Over 100 Patients to Be Evacuated from Gaza, WHO Says

 A youth salvages items from the rubble of a building destroyed in Israeli strikes in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on November 5, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (AFP)
A youth salvages items from the rubble of a building destroyed in Israeli strikes in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on November 5, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (AFP)

More than 100 patients, including children suffering from trauma injuries and chronic diseases, will be evacuated from Gaza on Wednesday in a rare transfer out of the war-ravaged enclave, a World Health Organization official said.

"These are ad hoc measures. What we have requested repeatedly is a sustained medevac (medical evacuation) outside of Gaza," said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, adding that 12,000 people were awaiting transfer.

The patients will travel in a large convoy on Wednesday via the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel before flying to the United Arab Emirates, he added, and then a portion will travel to Romania.