Arab governments pledge millions to support Palestinians

CAIRO, Egypt (CNN) -- Arab governments pledged millions of dollars to the Palestinian territories Thursday, to help Palestinians suffering from the violence there.

Saudi Arabia said it was pledging $250 million, the United Arab Emirates said it was giving $150 million, and Kuwait said it would be giving $150 million.

Other Arab nations were expected to pledge money soon.

''The contributions ... have come from all the Arab countries, and I think it is another sign of the strong support that the Arabs are giving the Palestinians,'' said Secretrary-General of the Arab League Esmat Abdel Meguid.

Meguid said the donations were part of a decision of the last Arab Summit, which called on Arab countries to assist Palestinians suffering from the weeks of violence.

Senior Palestinian official Nabil Shaath said the funds would be used to help Palestinians suffering from what he called Israel's ''war against our people.''

''Our industrial, agricultural, transport and every other sector is in absolute jeopardy and at least $1.5 million people are absolutely without jobs, without support,'' Shaath told reporters on the sidelines of an Arab League meeting of Arab finance ministers.

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, who was at the Cairo meeting, told ministers that ''Israeli aggression'' on the territories he governs had left 365,000 Palestinians unemployed. He said that 122,000 of those were Palestinians who had worked in Israel but were ''expelled.''

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