From the Liveblog of
Friday, September 19, 2025
Conservative party holds up German aid to PA
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleA conservative party in Germany’s governing coalition says it will temporarily block aid promised to the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank over concerns the cash could be used against Israel.
Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan of the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) had pledged 30 million euros ($35 million) for the Palestinian Authority after a trip to the region last month.
But Alexander Hoffmann, parliamentary leader of the conservative CSU party, tells the Bild newspaper that the party wants further “clarification.”
Hoffmann’s spokesman, confirming comments he made to Bild, tells AFP that “humanitarian help is important, but it must be clear which concrete projects the money will be used for before the funds are approved.”
“Projects that endanger Israel’s security must be excluded.”
German government sources say the money will be used to pay the salaries of healthcare and education workers and be disbursed under an EU-run mechanism.
The CSU is the Bavarian counterpart to Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s CDU and has been among Israel’s staunchest supporters in Germany, while the SPD has been somewhat more critical.
Sources within the coalition confirm to AFP that the CSU is holding up approval of the money in parliament.
Merz’s spokesman Sebastian Hille says the government has “a common position” on the issue but has to wait for parliamentary approval.
He says he is confident that “the question can be sorted out between the coalition’s MPs.”
A development ministry spokeswoman underlines that the funds are intended to ease the dire financial situation the Palestinian Authority has been in since Israel stopped transferring revenues from taxes on goods destined for Authority-controlled areas. Jerusalem took the move to protest a salary system for Palestinian prisoners and families of slain attackers, including terrorists.
“Public services such as healthcare have been seriously restricted and the school year hasn’t started on time,” she says.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
The Times of Israel Community.