Palestinian Authority officials have announced that they will request $5.5 billion from donor nations during an upcoming meeting in Paris.  The money will be used in the years 2008-2010.

The amount is almost double the amount of direct aid currently granted to the Fatah-led PA based in Ramallah.  PA officials said that 70 percent would be used to cover the PA’s operating costs, while 30 percent would be used for development projects.