RAMALLAH, Saturday, December 07, 2019 (WAFA) – Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Saeb Erekat, hailed today the resolution passed on Friday by the US Congress, which backed a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, describing it a “blow” to US President Donald Trump’s attempts to legitimize the illegal Israeli settlements.

The resolution, which was proposed by Democratic member of Congress Alan Lowenthal and which passed by a majority of 226 votes in favor to 188 against, is in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions on settlements in occupied lands.

Commenting on the resolution, Erekat called upon the US Congress to take concrete steps to prevent the Trump administration and Israel “from continuing to violate international law and destroy the two-state solution”.

“The United States, with the support of partners, can play a constructive role in ending the Palestinian-Israeli conflict by submitting a proposal to achieve a two-state solution, in line with previous US proposals,” he said.

Erekat continued, “It is in the interests of the United States to continue to enhance the security, stability, and human well-being of Palestinians and their neighbors, by resuming foreign assistance under US law.”

“The United States‘ proposal for a just, stable and lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should explicitly support the two-state solution, rather than encourage steps by either party that would make a peaceful solution to the conflict an unachievable goal.”

M.N