RI donates $2m to Palestine

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia has donated US$2 million to help the Palestinian Authority overcome its financial crisis.

The donation was presented by Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas to Palestinian President Yasser Arafat in Tehran Monday.

"This aid is very meaningful for our people's struggle and we will use it as properly as possible," Arafat said as quoted by Antara.

The ceremony took place at the Hafizieh building at the Saad Abad Palace compound where Arafat was staying, a day ahead of the three-day Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) summit which began yesterday.

Monday's donation was part of the $5 million pledge Indonesia made to the Palestinian people during the second International Conference on Economic Aid for Palestine in Paris on Jan. 9, 1996. (mds)