<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>Spain has signed an agreement with the Palestinian Authority pledging to contribute two million euros to pay the salaries and pensions of civil servants.</strong></h4> The memorandum of understanding was signed this Monday in Ramallah by Palestinian Finance Minister Omar al-Bitar and the Spanish Consul General in Jerusalem, José Javier Gutiérrez Blanco-Navarrete, according to the official Palestinian news agency, WAFA. The financial aid, which will be channeled through the EU's PEGASE mechanism, will contribute to the payment of civil servants' salaries and pensions as "part of Spain's commitment to support the budget of the State of Palestine and contribute to the sustainability of basic services provided to Palestinian civilians," the agency added. PEGASE is a European Union initiative launched in 2008 to support the Palestinian people. Its objective is to provide financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority to facilitate the provision of public services, including the payment of salaries to civil servants and social benefits to vulnerable families. The mechanism also supports infrastructure development and seeks sustainable development in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.
