Bethlehem/PNN/
The European Union and Italy have made a contribution of €23 million to the Palestinian Authority, supporting the payment of medical referrals to East Jerusalem Hospitals. This financial contribution is funded by the EU (€22 million), and the Government of Italy (€1 million).
This contribution is part of the direct assistance package to the budget of the Palestinian Authority outlined at the EU - Palestinian Authority High-Level Political Dialogue on 14 April 2025 to foster Palestinian recovery and resilience. It will enable the Palestinian Authority to fulfil its financial commitments to East Jerusalem Hospitals, which are currently under strain due to ongoing conflict and economic challenges linked to the war in Gaza. It will also help ensure that these hospitals can continue providing essential healthcare services to Palestinian patients in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Since 2013, the EU and its Member States have supported the Palestinian Authority with regular contributions to the payment of referrals to East Jerusalem hospitals that have now reached over €213 million. These hospitals are an integral component of the Palestinian healthcare system providing specialized medical services that are not available in the public hospitals.
“Through this contribution, the European Union and its Member States reaffirm their unwavering commitment to ensuring access to essential medical services for all Palestinians at a time when healthcare is severely affected by the ongoing war in Gaza and the escalating tensions in the West Bank. We are firmly committed to supporting the Palestinian Authority in its efforts to strengthen and reform the healthcare system, promoting both efficiency and equitable access to essential care for all patients. As the health and humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens, we call for the reopening of the crossings to enable the delivery of medical supplies to Gaza hospitals and to facilitate the evacuation of critically ill patients to East Jerusalem Hospitals." said the European Union Representative, Alexandre Stutzmann.
“This contribution comes at a time when the Palestinian health system is under severe strain. Through the PEGASE mechanism, patients can access specialized, high-quality care in East Jerusalem — services that are not currently available in the West Bank. The contributions provided by Italy to the PEGASE mechanism since 2013 reflect the commitment to support the Palestinian Authority in its efforts to strengthen and sustain the Palestinian health system.” saidthe Consul General of Italy, Domenico Bellato.
Since 2008, most of the European Union's assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA) is channelled through the PEGASE Direct Financial Support, supporting the PA reform process and various national development plans. PEGASE supports the PA’s recurrent expenditures, mainly the salaries and pensions of civil servants, the social allowances paid through the cash transfer programme and part of the costs of medical referrals to the East Jerusalem Hospitals. Since February 2008, over €3.1 billion were disbursed through PEGASE by the European Commission and various development partners, mostly EU Member States. In addition, the EU provides assistance to the Palestinian people through UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, as well as through a wide range of other humanitarian and development cooperation projects.
