SHARM EL SHEIKH: The one day conference Monday to support the Palestinian economy and the reconstruction of Gaza saw pledges of financial assistance, but stressed the need for a lasting peace between Palestinians and Israelis. The Palestinians cannot afford to wait any longer for a peace that will not come, said President Hosni Mubarak in the opening speech of the proceedings, which were co-chaired by Norway. The summit was convened to raise reconstruction funds in the aftermath of the 22-day Israeli offensive on Gaza Dec. 27. Almost $4.4 billion in pledges of aid were made, half from Gulf countries and the rest from Western states. They are to be delivered over the next two years. Reconstruction is part of the Egyptian initiative to achieve a ceasefire [between the Palestinians and Israel], Mubarak said at the International Conference Center in Sharm El Sheikh. The Gulf countries pledged around $1.65 billion while the EU will be offering $554 million. The United States pledged $900 million, of which a third will go to the reconstruction of Gaza while the remainder will be given to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed the solidarity of the people of France with the people of Palestine who have suffered a lot, and all the civilian victims of this conflict. Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa called for the end of the vicious circle of destruction and construction in the Palestinian territories, blaming Israel for the targeted destruction of Gaza s infrastructure. The deplorable excuse that there is a terrorist in every street [in Gaza] is rejected completely. People under occupation cannot accept being attacked and held under siege, he said. Moussa also said that the targeting of both Palestinians and Israelis had to stop immediately and that the reconstruction of Gaza alone was not sufficient without a lasting peace. All speakers reiterated their complete support for the Palestinian Authority as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people but encouraged the reconciliation talks Egypt is mediating between them and Hamas. The summit was attended by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Quartet Middle East Envoy Tony Blair, EU policy chief Javier Solana and Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal, but none of them spoke at the opening session. In his speech, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said, The innocent, it is said, pay the highest price for war. So it was during the recent crisis in Gaza. People who had already endured so much hardship, for so many years, now face even more. When it comes to rebuilding Gaza [the] foundation must be a durable ceasefire, the UN head added. We need to be able to deliver aid and implement our social and economic programs. This is the starting point of reconstruction. In this regard, the situation at the border crossings is intolerable. Sarkozy said, Nobody has an interest in the continuation of such a situation [of the siege of Gaza]. President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas told the audience, Your presence here after the Israeli aggression on Gaza will send a very strong message to the Palestinian people. The international community is listening to their suffering and looking to improve their life. To achieve [Palestinian] unity will be our first priority . all efforts for reconstruction will be insufficient without a political position, he added. Plans for the formation of a Palestinian unity government were announced from Cairo prior to the conference. This problem is not a regional problem, it s a global problem. We are here to encourage Palestinians towards reconciliation, said Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Berlusconi added that when the standard of living of Palestinians became closer to the Israeli standard of living, a more peaceful coexistence could be achieved. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy pledged $554 million to the Gaza economy for 2009 at the conference. In a press statement released before the conference, Ferrero-Waldner said, Our priority today is to adequately respond to the disastrous humanitarian situation in Gaza. By offering a substantial aid package we confirm our generosity and commitment towards the Palestinians.
