BACKGROUND ON EARLY
EMPOWERMENT

( Communicated by Civil Administration Spokeswoman )
29 November 1994

On November 15, 1994, Israel transferred authority in the fields of welfare and tourism to the Palestinians. On December 1, the fields of health, direct taxes and VAT will also be transferred. The educational system was transferred to the Palestinian Authority on August 28, 1994, enabling the school year to begin on September 1, 1994, with full responsibilities in the hands of the Palestinian Authority. Thus, the process of Early Empowerment, as agreed upon in the Declaration of Principles in Oslo on September 13, 1993, and later negotiated and signed in Cairo in August 1994, will have been fully implemented.

The months since the signing of the agreement on the transfer of powers ( August 29 ) have been used by both sides to prepare the transfer of the four remaining fields. Civil Administration officials have been supplying all the information required by the Palestinians, and there have been joint meetings and field trips. In the complex area of direct taxes and VAT, both sides have agreed that following the transfer of authority on December 1st, the Civil Administration will continue to `tutor' the Palestinians for a further period of six months. In the area of health, Civil Administration officials will continue to act as consultants for a period of three months. In all fields, a Coordination Committee comprised of Civil Administration professionals will be set up to coordinate activities between the Palestinian Authority and Israel in the future.

Israel has agreed to pay the November salaries for the 2,000 Palestinian Civil Administration personnel involved in these four fields. However, starting December 1, 1994, the Palestinian Authority will have full financial responsibility for hospitalization in Israel, health services, development and salaries.

WELFARE

The Welfare Office operates in two main spheres:

1. Welfare and rehabilitation of the needy ( over 42,000 people, 8,000 families ).
   
   

2. Public and charitable organizations.
   
   

The welfare system employs over 200 Palestinian workers. It is comprised of six district offices and ten sub - district branches. It also includes institutions for the blind, mentally retarded, elderly and handicapped, as well as centers for the youth rehabilitation.

All files of personal welfare cases have been transferred to the Palestinians, in an effort to provide further welfare support for these needy families.

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