Palestinian Authority receives 100 million dollars in Arab aid

CAIRO - Three Arab countries paid 101 million dollars to a fund aimed at shoring up the Palestinian Authority's finances, Arab League spokesman Hossam Zaki said Saturday.
Algeria paid 50 million dollars, Kuwait 40 million and Qatar 11 million, Zaki told reporters, adding that the amounts were mostly arrears.
The fund, created during the 2002 Arab summit in Beirut, is aimed at helping the Palestinian Authority pay its employees and cover some of the financial losses incurred since the start of the intifada four and half years ago.
Last week's Arab summit in Algiers renewed a call on countries to pledge more money over the next six months, but Saudi Arabia has been the only steady contributor.

03/26/2005 13:00 GMT