UAE: RCS earmarks seven million dollars for Palestine

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Att.Editors: The following item is by the United Arab Emirates news agency (WAM)

JERUSALEM, May 30 2003 (IPS) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Red Crescent Society (RCS) has earmarked a total of. 26 million dirhams (more than seven million US dollars) in its budget for this year for relief work in Palestine.

Announcing the package, RCS Chairman of Board of Directors Khalifa Nasser Al Suweidi said the UAE remained strongly committed to the assistance of the Palestinian people, who have been subjected to appalling conditions by the Israeli occupation.

He said the amount will be spent on a number of projects, notably for the supply of equipment for hospitals, schools, orphanages and disabled centers.

– The UAE, under the leadership of President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, has taken it upon itself to alleviate the suffering of our Palestinian brethren. This is an on-going effort, the latest of which was the allocation of four million dirhams (over one million dollars) to three hospitals in the West Bank."

Meanwhile, the RCS delegation which has just returned from Algeria has underlined the need for more assistance for the victims of the earthquake which hit the country recently.

ôThe RCS has provided much assistance to the victims, but more still needs to be done. We have assessed the needs of the victims and there is clearly a need for more relief aid," said Abdullah Aqeeda, RCS Deputy Secretary General.