European Union stops aid to Palestine after Hamas attack on Israel

Following Hamas’ attack on Israel, the European Commission declared on Monday that it was reviewing all of its development assistance to the Palestinians, totaling 691 million euros ($729 million). All payments to the Palestinians were also immediately halted. “The scale of terror and brutality against Israel and its people is a turning point,” Oliver Varhelyi, the European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, said in a post on social media. “There can be no business as usual.” In the bloodiest such assault since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago, Hamas militants killed 700 Israelis and kidnapped others, leading Israel to reply with its heaviest-ever shelling of Gaza, which has killed more than 400 Palestinians. All new budget requests for help to the Palestinians, according to Varhelyi, have been tabled until further notice. “The foundations for peace, tolerance and co-existence must now be addressed,” he said. “Incitement to hatred, violence and glorification of terror have poisoned the minds of too many,” he added. “We need action and we need it now.” In response to the attack on Israel, Austria announced earlier on Monday that it was suspending aid worth tens of millions of euros to the Palestinians in order to prevent money from going into the wrong hands, and Germany said it was reconsidering its support. (With agency inputs)