Erekat calls on Norway to restore aid level to that of 2005

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat met here with Norwegian envoy to the peace process Svein Savje on Saturday, calling on Norway to restore the aid level to that of 2005.

As one of the major donor nations, Norway should exert more efforts to resume funding the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) with the same level to that of the end of 2005.

After the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) won legislative elections on Jan. 25, 2006 and thus given mandate to form the current government singlehandedly in late March, Western donors, including Norway, cut off aid and direct fund to the PNA.

Moreover, the United States led a campaign to isolate the Hamas- led government by imposing financial restrictions, which seriously cornered the Hamas-led government.

In order to end the dual crises in politics and economy, caused by international siege imposed on the Palestinians, President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas government's Prime Minister Ismail Haneya agreed to form a coalition government with national unity in August.

However, the almost four-month-long talks over forming such a coalition government have recently stalled as Hamas has repeatedly refused the international demands of recognizing Israel.

Source: Xinhua