The first meeting of the Donor Group for Palestine took place yesterday, organised by the European Commission, following the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2803, which supports President Trump’s Peace Plan for Gaza and reaffirms the prospect of a Palestinian state.
The meeting provided an important platform for coordination in support of the Palestinian National Authority at this critical juncture. Topics discussed included the situation in the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Authority’s budgetary sustainability, progress on its reform agenda, and the economic recovery of the West Bank.
Representing Italy, Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Maria Tripodi participated on behalf of Minister Antonio Tajani. In her remarks, Undersecretary Tripodi highlighted Italy’s leading role in supporting the Palestinian Authority’s reform and capacity-building efforts, aimed at assuming full governmental responsibilities within recognised borders, in line with the Two-State Solution. She also drew attention to the current precarious state of the Palestinian Authority’s budget and the serious issues affecting its banking system, which pose a tangible risk of financial collapse, emphasising the urgent need for action to prevent such an outcome. Regarding Gaza, Tripodi reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to fully support humanitarian assistance and reconstruction efforts in the Strip, recalling Foreign Minister Tajani’s announcement of a EUR 60 million allocation.
During the day, the Undersecretary also joined Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica, and German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali Radovan at an event dedicated to the European Programme for Palestine Assistance (PEGASE), established to support the Palestinian Authority. Italy has been supporting PEGASE since 2009 and is currently considering new initiatives, including an additional allocation to support the Palestinian Authority’s budget.
