Japan to Freeze Fresh Aid for Hamas-Led Palestinian Govt: Sources
Posted on: Wednesday, 22 March 2006, 21:00 CST
Tokyo, March 22 (Jiji Press)--Japan plans to suspend fresh economic assistance for the Palestinian government led by militant Islamic group Hamas, it was learned Wednesday.
The Japanese government will wait and see whether the Hamas-led government will soften its hard-line approach against Israel, informed sources told Jiji Press.
Hamas has refused to recognize Israel, disarm or observe existing agreements between the Palestinians and Israel, prompting the United States and European countries to warn of aid suspension.
A Japanese Foreign Ministry source said Japan will decide how to deal with the Hamas-led government after studying its specific policy measures but will continue food and other humanitarian aid.
Japan on Friday decided to provide food aid worth 660 million yen through U.N. bodies including the World Food Program.
In May last year, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pledged to provide about 100 million dollars in assistance for the Palestinians. Of the amount, Japan has disbursed or earmarked about 70 million dollars.
Japan has provided a total of about 830 million dollars in aid for the Palestinians since the 1993 Oslo Accord between Israel and the Palestinians, becoming the third largest donor after the European Union and the United States.END
Source: Jiji Press English News Service
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