Turkey Sends US$1 Million Aid Package to Palestine

The one million dollars of aid will be in kind. Upon hearing news that humanitarian aid for Palestinian refuges is being prevented from reaching them, Ankara sent Israel a warning on the issue.

With the Palestine Activity Plan, Turkey will make a direct donation to this country for the first time. Last year, 200,000 dollars were sent through the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNWRA) to Palestinian Refugee Camps. The aid will be in kind like food, medicine, and ambulances. The activity plan is directed by Vehbi Dincerler, the assigned coordinator. The plan was developed in December of last year and cooperation was made by the Foreign Ministry, the Foreign Trade Undersecretary, the Treasury Undersecretary, the State Planning Institute, the Turkish Collaboration and Development Agency, the Turkey Chambers and Stock Exchanges Union, the Turkey Industry and Businessmen Association, the Independent Businessmen Association, and the Red Crescent. The activity plan also addresses issues like urgent health aid and professional education bursaries.

Member countries were given information about the aid plan at UNWRA’s meeting held in Geneva on June 11th. Turkish representatives, Vehbi Dincerler, Coordinator of Palestine Economic-Social Cooperation, and Jerusalem Chief Consul, Huseyin Avni, later announced at the meeting that they would make a 1 billion dollar donation to Palestine. The official statement on this issue is expected from Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul soon. UNWRA called on its 65 member countries to ‘allocate more resources for Palestinian refugees’ at the meeting. It is stated that one million Palestinian refugees still need urgent help.

Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul is going to pay an official visit to Lebanon between July 4th and 6th as part of the initiatives started in regional countries. Lebanese Prime Minister, Refik Hariri, visited Turkey last month. The Israeli administration has been waiting for an answer to an invitation made to Minister Gul to visit Israel for a long time. Turkey is not paying a visit to Israel due to the current situation in Palestine and the prohibition on Gul meeting with Palestine leader, Yaser Arafat.