BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, JULY 17, SPA -- THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION ON MONDAY SAID IT WAS PROVIDING ¤20 MILLION (US$25.3 MILLION) IN FOOD AID FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE PALESTINIANS, AND SEPARATELY SAID IT WAS GIVING MONEY TO BUY FUEL FOR POWER GENERATORS AT WATER PUMPING AND TREATMENT PLANTS. IT SAID THE FOOD AID WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH THEUNITED NATIONS AND RAISES THE TOTAL EU AID AVAILABLE TO THE PALESTINIAN POPULATION SO FAR THIS YEAR TO ¤329 MILLION (US$417 MILLION), WELL OVER THE AVERAGE ANNUAL AID FROM THE EU HEAD OFFICE OF AROUND ¤250 MILLION (US$317 MILLION) IT USUALLY GIVES PER YEAR. «THE DETERIORATING HUMANITARIAN SITUATION IN THEPALESTINIAN TERRITORIES IS A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN,» EU EXTERNAL RELATIONS COMMISSIONER BENITA FERRERO-WALDNER WAS QUOTED AS SAYING BY REUTERS. SHE SAID THE FOOD AID WAS MEANT TO «MEET SOME OF THEBASIC NEEDS OF ORDINARY PALESTINIANS CAUGHT UP IN THECURRENT CRISIS.» --SPA 17/07/2006 14:32 ت م www.spa.gov.sa/376156