The European Union is now helping pay the salaries and pensions of Palestinian Authority workers. On August 20, officials in Brussels announced that the EU will be providing the PA with an extra €40 million ($58.8 million) in financial aid. This money comes on top of the €440 million ($650 million) in aid the EU pledged to the PA at a donors’ conference in Paris last December.

In addition to covering some of the Palestinian Authority’s salary and pension costs, a part of this European cash has been earmarked for the construction of a new Palestinian security force headquarters in Nablus.

“This extra package is a clear indication that we are continuing and reinforcing our commitment to the Palestinian people,” the EU’s external affairs commissioner, Benita Ferrero Waldner, said August 20.

The only thing keeping the Palestinian economy afloat is financial aid coming from the European Union and other governments around the world. This aid has not done anything to create a stable Palestinian state or to bring peace to the region. As a matter of fact, it is interesting to note that the amount of financial aid available to the PA in the past has directly correlated to the number of people killed by Palestinian militants.

While European leaders may pledge commitment to the Jewish state, their monetary support of the Palestinians—much of which has been used for anti-Israel activity—is just one factor indicating Europe does not have Israel’s best interests at heart. The groundwork is in fact being laid for a spectacular double cross. Europe wants to create for itself a sphere of influence in the Middle East, and it will appeal to both sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict to do this. Read “Like It or Not” and Jerusalem in Prophecy to find out how both the Jews and the Palestinians will end up being the losers.