Sign up to The Irish Times Archive (1859 - 2008)My Account »

Tue 02 Feb 2007EU pledges to extend emergency Palestinian aid schemeEU:The EU will consider boosting emergency aid to the Palestinian people and resuming direct aid to a new internationally acceptable Palestinian government.External relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner made the pledge after EU foreign ministers welcomed a decision last week by the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah to form a government of national unity.