BMZ supports employment initiative in Palestinian territories

Tel Aviv/Ramallah (dpa) - At a meeting with the new Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa, German Development Minister Svenja Schulze has agreed on an employment initiative designed to create more stability in the region. “Unemployment in the West Bank has virtually tripled and is now at 40 percent,” said Schulze. She explained that the goal was to create around 25,000 new jobs within three years, initially in the West Bank and the Arab-dominated eastern part of Jerusalem, and to preserve existing jobs. To launch the project, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is investing 25 million euros. “The horrific terrorist attack by Hamas and the ongoing war in Gaza have already caused immeasurable suffering to Israelis and Palestinians,” said Schulze, who is also visiting Israel.