"Morocco, a militant of the Arab-Israeli peace and permanent supporter of the Palestinian cause," has decided "to grant 5 million US dollars as a contribution to the development program submitted by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas," said Mr. Fassi Fihri at the closing ceremony of the Paris Donor Conference.

    "This financial support will be coupled with the continuation of bilateral cooperation and technical, humanitarian and institutional assistance that Morocco brings to the Palestinian people and with the support of the Morocco-based "Beit al-Mal" an offshoot of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Committee,  whose activities are financed notably by the Kingdom,” underlined Mr. Fassi Fihri.

    Morocco has also expressed concern over the colonization of Jebel Abu Ghoneim and called for "lifting all obstacles and freedom of movement of goods and people," said the minister.

    International donors pledged to provide USD 7.4 Bn to support Palestine in the coming three years, including some USD 3.4Bn to be paid in 2008, as part of efforts to drive the newly-re-launched Middle East peace process in Annapolis Conference, held on November 27 in Annapolis, Maryland.

    "The real winner today is the Palestinian state," Kouchner told the press following the conference. "We wanted USD 5.6 billion, we have USD 7.4 billion, that is not bad."
 
    Aid pledges were made at a one-day conference that was attended by representatives from some 90 countries and international institutions with the aim to mobilize political and financial support for the emergence of a viable Palestinian state.

Source : MAP