Jerusalem - "Al Quds" dot com - The European Union , in cooperation with Finland and Italy, announced today, Tuesday, the provision of financial support in the amount of 15.678 million euros to the Palestinian Authority, to support the payment of medical referrals to East Jerusalem hospitals .

The European Union (13 million euros), the Government of Finland (1.678 million euros) and the Government of Italy (1 million euros) provided.

A statement by the European Union stated that this support provided to East Jerusalem hospitals, which is provided through the Palestinian Authority, will help hospitals provide the required services for Palestinian patients coming from Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

The statement indicated that since 2012, the European Union and its member states have supported the Palestinian Authority with regular contributions to cover medical referrals to East Jerusalem hospitals, and those contributions amounted to more than 141 million euros, and these hospitals are an integral part of the Palestinian health care system as they provide specialized services. It cannot be found anywhere else in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

EU Deputy Representative Maria Velasco said: “Through the support of the European Union and its Member States today, we reaffirm our commitment to maintaining access to specialized medical services for all Palestinians, in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza. East Jerusalem hospitals are among the last The Palestinian institutions that are still operating in the city... Their presence helps preserve the Palestinian character of the city and ensure the provision of high-quality medical services to Palestinian citizens. This contribution indicates our strong and unwavering commitment to the Palestinians and their aspiration for an independent Palestinian state in the future."

In turn, Consul General of Italy in Jerusalem Giuseppe Fidel said, “Italy has always supported East Jerusalem hospitals, in line with its multiple efforts to increase access to quality health services for all Palestinians. East Jerusalem hospitals also play a crucial role in this regard, being the main providers of specialized treatments that It is not yet available in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and through this contribution, we intend to immediately support the Palestinian Authority's ability to pay for the treatment of referred patients, and to encourage broader reform aimed at strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the Palestinian health system."

For her part, the representative of Finland, Ambassador Paeve Peltokoski, said: “Finland, together with the European Union and other Member States, continues to support East Jerusalem hospitals to ensure that they provide high-quality health care to Palestinian patients from East Jerusalem, Gaza and the West Bank. Our direct financial support through PEGASE creates stability It eases the lives of Palestinian families who need specialized health services.