CAIRO, Wednesday, March 4, 2020 (WAFA) – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Riyad al-Malki, said today that the victory of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Israeli elections is a victory for the policies of land annexation, confiscation and settlement.
Malki‘s remarks came during his speech at the 153rd session of the Arab League Council at the level of Arab foreign ministers which was held Wednesday in Cairo.
The minister added that Netanyahu‘s victory means more violence, repression, racism and fascism, stressing that his victory will thwart the possibility of an independent, geographically viable, and sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
"We are meeting today while our people are facing the most brutal forms of repression and abuse perpetrated by the occupying state and its settlers and armed militias, in a brutal exploitation of the deal of the century to implement the largest number of expansionist colonies in our occupied land, and to continue imposing an unjust blockade on the Gaza Strip, in addition to Judaizing Jerusalem and its holy sites," al-Malki pointed out.
"It is necessary for us as Palestinians to strengthen our resilience, survival to challenge the occupiers, but thus also requires all forms of Arab support, including activating the financial safety network as well as full political support to the Palestinian diplomatic and legal movement in all forums," the minister noted.
He stressed that the official and popular Arab position stand with Palestine, not only in its stance on the disastrous deal of the century, but rather on the moves Palestine takes or intends to take to protect its rights, including its moves at the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, UNESCO and in all international forums.
He added that the Arab, Islamic, African, European and non-aligned support increased the Palestinians‘ resilience and confidence to end the occupation.
He stressed that the United States and Israel have to "bury this plan" and return to international law and its references and the agreed basis for negotiations.
"We reaffirm that we still believe in the two-state solution, and in direct negotiation as a basis for a solution based on the internationally accredited references of the peace process," minister al-Malki said.
"Our option is peace to end the occupation and have our state, a state with East Jerusalem as its capital and the 1967 borders, with the people of Palestine as its citizens. A state that owns its wealth, and controls its security, whose borders are protected by its children and its sanctities will remain open to their followers," he affirmed.
A.D./T.R.
