New Israeli Foreign Aid Program for Friendly Countries

YERUSHALAYIM

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has instructed the foreign ministry to draw up a list of countries supportive of Israel who are deserving of financial assistance, according to media reports.

The fund is called “50 on 50,” as it envisages $50 million in government funding to be distributed among 50 countries.

Each country will receive an aid package based on its individual needs, in various areas including tech, water desalination, agriculture and leadership development.

A report on Hadashot said Netanyahu intends to include the project in the coming budget and has instructed the director of the Foreign Ministry to start planning based on existing funds in the treasury.

Meanwhile, Ynet reported on Thursday that Israel bought a sewage treatment system for Nauru, the tiny island nation in the Pacific Ocean, which regularly votes with Israel at the U.N. It was one of only 7 nations that voted against the General Assembly resolution against U.S. recognition of Yerushalayim as Israel’s capital. The others were: Guatemala, Honduras, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau and Togo.

The Foreign Ministry’s Tenders Committee approved the purchase of the sewage treatment plant at the cost NIS 250,191 ($71,997) without a tender, two weeks ago.

Explaining the decision to approve the purchase without a tender, the Tenders Committee wrote that “Nauru is the smallest independent island nation with regards to its population and territory. It has close friendly ties with Israel. The president of Nauru appealed to the prime minister, asking to receive aid in the form of a sewage treatment plant, which fits the unique needs of the island.”

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