The Arab League will discuss Monday granting the Palestinian Authority monthly aid worth 50 million dollars, amid Western threats to cut off funding after the radical Hamas movement won parliamentary elections.
‘The follow up committee from the last Arab summit will meet in Algiers Monday to discuss decisions that have not been implemented including the monthly delivery of 50 million dollars in aid to the Palestinians,’ Arab League Deputy Secretary Ahmed bin Hilli told reporters late Friday at Cairo airport.
The committee groups Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa and the foreign ministers from Algeria, Tunisia, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Yemen.
The Palestinians' Hamas-dominated parliament was sworn in Saturday, marking an end to the era of easy collaboration between the international community and the Palestinian Authority.
The European Union and the United States have threatened to curtail funding if Hamas, which has carried out the majority of suicide bombings against Israel, fails to renounce violence and recognise the Jewish state's right to exist.
However, Russia, one of four sponsors of the stalled Middle East peace process, has formally invited Hamas leaders to talks early next month.
Israel has vowed an immediate freeze on the monthly transfer of millions of dollars in customs duties owed to the Palestinian Authority and which amount to a staggering one-third of the cash-strapped government's budget.