Algeria's President Abdelmadjid Tebboune on Monday pledged $100 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) during a visit to Algiers by PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas, AFP reports.
Tebboune said at a joint press conference with Abbas that the funding was "in keeping with Algeria's revolutionary history and the entire Algerian people's commitment to support the just Palestinian cause under all circumstances."
Algeria is to host an Arab League summit in March 2022, and Tebboune said Monday that his country plans "to put the Palestinian cause at the center of this important event."
Algerian television also reported that Tebboune plans to host Palestinian Arab factions for talks.
The PA has repeatedly asked for foreign donations in recent years, claiming it is on the verge of collapse due to a worsening financial crisis.
At the same time, it continues to spend six percent of the PA’s annual budget to pay $4.5 million a month to jailed terrorists and another $6.5 million to their families.
Algeria’s pledge comes amid tensions with its neighbor Morocco, which normalized ties with Israel as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords.
Algeria announced in August that it is severing its diplomatic relations with Morocco over what it called "hostile actions" on the part of Morocco.
Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister Ramtane Lamamra announced the move at a press conference in which he read a statement on behalf of the Algerian President. Lamamra criticized Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, who during his visit to Morocco earlier that month made statements against Algeria.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz recently visited Morocco, where he signed an unprecedented defense deal between the two countries.
In response, a top Algerian official claimed that Gantz's visit to Morocco "targeted" his country and added, "The enemies are mobilizing more and more to undermine Algeria."
"Today, things are clear with the visit of the Minister of Defense of the Zionist entity in Morocco, after the one carried out (in August) by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of this entity in this neighboring country," he added.