No EU Aid to Palestinian Authority Since 2020 over Palestinian textbooks

Millions of euros in European Union aid to the Palestinian Authority are stuck in Brussels as officials in the European Commission discuss whether to condition parts of the foreign assistance on reforms to Palestinian textbooks, The Times of Israel has learned.

According to a diplomat who asked for anonymity to freely discuss the sensitive subject, the delay in sending EU funds to the Palestinians began as a technical matter.

But the process was substantially gummed up when an official in the European Commission in Brussels sought to condition parts of the aid on changes to Palestinian textbooks, the diplomat said.

The lack of funding has contributed to fears that Ramallah will see a fiscal crisis.

Israeli, European and American officials have long criticized contents of Palestinian textbooks. Palestinians reject that argument, saying that the curricula express the Palestinian national narrative.