Kushner\u2019s participation is a win for the European Commission, which is seeking to coordinate support among the U.S.-backed Board of Peace, the Palestinian Authority, European governments and established international aid bodies.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe must act now, so we are pushing ahead, uniting behind the Team Gaza initiative for early recovery,\u201d said EU Mediterranean Commissioner Dubravka \u0160uica in her opening remarks of the donor conference. \u201cThe people of Gaza cannot afford for us to wait.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u0160uica said the money would focus on \u201crestoring basic social and economic services, rehabilitating critical infrastructure, and strengthening governance in Gaza.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among the cash pledges announced Monday, the Commission and the European Investment Bank proposed contributing \u20ac257 million to the package, with Spain, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium and the World Bank also participating. \u0160uica said the EU expected countries including Australia, Canada and Ireland to also join \u201cin the coming months.\u201d<\/p>\n
The meeting also highlighted the dire finances of the Palestinian Authority (PA), with \u0160uica calling for Israel to release withheld Palestinian clearance revenues needed to pay salaries and maintain public services.<\/p>\n