Malta does its bit to help pay Palestinian workers

Malta is contributing €25,000 towards the appeal for urgent funds made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to EU member states.

The financial assistance from the European Union and its member states will enable one month's salaries to be paid to workers in the Palestinian Territories. Mr Abbas made his appeal during a meeting with EU Foreign Ministers in New York. Foreign Minister Frendo met Mr Abbas at the UN General Assembly in New York last week.

The two were attending a special reception hosted by the President of the Republic of Senegal, Abdoulaye Wade, in his capacity as chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People. Malta is the rapporteur of this committee.

Mr Frendo said: "Malta joins this concerted international effort to alleviate the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories and has always remained steadfast in its support for President Abbas as an interlocutor for a lasting peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.