RAMALLAH, June 1 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior Palestinian official said Wednesday that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) would need 62 million US dollars to reconstruct Palestinian houses destroyed by the Israeli army during the Intifada (uprising).

    Mohammed Eshteya, minister of public works, told reporters that the Israeli army had completely destroyed about 7,951 houses in the West Bank and Gaza since September 2000.

    The PNA needs 44 million dollars for rebuilding those destroyed houses, he said, adding that 18 million more dollars are needed to fix and renovate houses which were partially damaged by the Israeliarmy.

    Eshteya said the PNA is seeking to get the needed financial aidefor rebuilding and renovating from the donor countries.

    According to Palestinian housing experts, the vast majority of houses that were destroyed by the Israeli army are in the southern Gaza Strip towns of Khan Younis and Rafah. Enditem