(JTA) -- The European Union approved an extra $124 million in emergency aid to the Palestinians to supplement tax moneys frozen by Israel.

"It is important that access to essential public services remains uninterrupted and the right to social services is respected," Reuters on Friday quoted Catherine Ashton, the E.U. foreign policy chief, as saying.

Israel stopped payment this week on $105 million in owes the Palestinian Authority on customs duties and other taxes because of the unity agreement the P.A.'s Fatah Party signed with Hamas, a banned terrorist group.

(JTA) -- President Obama will host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House for talks.

The meeting will be held on May 20 in the Oval Office, and the effort to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process reportedly will be the main item on the agenda.

"The leaders look forward to discussing the full range of issues of mutual interest to the United States and Israel," the White House said in a statement issued Wednesday evening.