RAMALLAH, May 10, 2010 (WAFA)- President Mahmoud Abbas demanded, today, the U.S Administration to respond to the Israeli Government’s continuation of its settlement expansion activities in Occupied East Jerusalem.
The President stated that, “The U.S Administration should give us response to such issues.”
This came in context of the President’s answers to journalists’ questions on the Israeli Government’s declaration that it will build 14 settlement units in Jerusalem, simultaneously with the beginning of proximity talks.
He told journalists, following the Ministerial Council’s meeting, that the Palestinian government must carry on with its activities and efforts, and its agenda adopted in order to announce the Palestinian State, legally and officially.
The president added: “We hope we do not be misinterpreted; when we talk about establishment of a State, we will declare it unilaterally.”
Chairing the weekly Cabinet meeting in Ramallah, the President briefed the Cabinet on the latest political efforts. He noted that the first phase of negotiations focused on resolving Israeli-American differences over the mains of resuming Palestinian- Israeli talks.
The President expressed Palestinian commitment to do its part. He valued the supporting Arab position as manifested in the Arab League resolutions and reaffirmed commitment to Palestinian national positions; no concessions over land or on the right of return. All these issues, he noted, would be placed on the negotiation table, especially the issue of borders and security, which would be discussed in the next four months.
He praised the exceptional efforts of the government, despite existing obstacles and difficulties. He reiterated the need for further achievements while maintaining those achieved in a perfect manner. He expressed his full support to the government plan (Palestine: Ending the Occupation and Establishing the State). While reiterating the importance on continuing the state institutions and infrastructure building efforts, saying that, those efforts give leverage to the national and political struggle, led by the PLO, to end the Israeli occupation.
The President repeated his call on Hamas to sign the Egyptian proposal for reconciliation as a step towards ending the division and reuniting the homeland and its institutions, “ so we could counter the challenges together and achieve our national plan, mainly ending the occupation and establishing the independent State of Palestine on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad opened the session welcoming the President on behalf of all cabinet members and thanked the President for his guidance. He briefed the cabinet on the latest political developments. He stressed the need for intensified efforts for the implementation of national plan in harmony with the struggle to establish an independent state in parallel with the PLO led political efforts. The Prime Minister affirmed the government’s continued determination to exert its efforts, under the guidance of the President.
The Prime Minister briefed the President on government efforts, focused on establishing the state and creating the proper mechanisms for institutions to take their role upon its establishment. He noted the effort to define priorities, especially on governance, administration and infrastructure until next June; with focus on raising standards of state-institutions while keeping the public informed of developments.
The Prime Minister said the government plan is an effective tool that serves the political effort and provides what is needed on all levels.
He also noted the importance of the Ministerial meeting to be held in Berlin on May 18, which would include ministers of interior, planning, national economy, foreign affairs and education, with their German counterparts. He considered it to reflect the seriousness of the international support to the government plan and in harmony with the Quartet statement.
PM Fayyad, considered the Palestine Investment Conference scheduled for early June to be an international phenomena with significant political and economic benefit, while stressing the need to prepare well for this conference, hoping for its success.
The Prime Minister added that the government will seek to guarantee that attention is not diverted from Israeli obligations, in view of fears that Israel may escalate its malpractices as to abort PNAefforts.
The Prime Minister also confirmed commitment to the national strategy for ending the occupation and establishing the State, as the PLO Executive Committee reiterated its commitment to moving in three parallel tracks. Firstly, the PLO role as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in leading the political process and in mobilizing international and Arab support to Palestinian national rights in accordance with the Palestinian national agenda. Second, popular and peaceful resistance to occupation, settlements and colonization, settlers terror and all other forms of oppression. Thirdly, proceeding with the Government two-year plan, announced last August, to build the institutions and infrastructure of the State of Palestine. the Cabinet valued and praised the growing popular support to its plan over the past year and the determination to achieve its objectives.
The cabinet reaffirmed its full support to PLO decision to participate in the proximity talks and to give chance to the US sponsored peace process, with the given guarantees and affirmations on the need to stop settlement activities and abidance to references of the peace process.
The Cabinet considered that success of international efforts to give credibility to the political process, demands all parties to take direct practical responsibilities for stopping Israeli violations of international law and the roadmap, mainly a total halt to settlement activities especially in East Jerusalem, stopping military incursions and lifting the siege on Gaza as to allow the PNA launch its Gaza Reconstruction Plan.
These efforts would enable the political process to achieve its goals mainly ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state, on `967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Al Nakba Commemoration
The Cabinet called all Palestinians, in the homeland and the Diaspora, to participate in the Al Nakba commemoration activities, organized by the Supreme National Committee to commemorate 62 years to the Nakba. And called for solidarity and focused efforts of the public and civil institutons to enhance the steadfastness of Palestinians on their land.
“The 62th Anniversary of the 1948 Nakba comes at a time we are focused on ending the occupation and establishing the independent state of Palestine, supported by our people’s determination and steered by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) government plan to complete the state institution and infrastructure building. It also comes at a time of growing international support to our legitimate national rights, mainly on ending the occupation and establishing the independent State of Palestine on 1967 occupied land with east Jerusalem as its capital.
The anniversary also coincides with continued Israeli attacks on our people, through settlement expansion, continued construction of the Apartheid Wall, turning the West Bank into isolated areas (ghettos) and continuous isolation and judiazation of Jerusalem, as well as continued settlers attacks on unarmed Palestinians.” The cabinet statement reads.
Recent Israeli attacks include the burning of Al-Luban Al Sharqiya Mosque by settlers, the demolition of Duheniya Mosque in Rafah, the burning of Palestinian lands in Huwara south of Nablus, handing 10 demolition orders to Palestinians in Beni-Naeem in Hebron district and an escalation in Israeli arrests of Palestinians, as 70 citizens were arrested during the first week of May, including seven (7) Jerusalemites who were accused of ‘working with Palestinian security forces’, in a clear attempt to prevent Palestinian institutions presence in east Jerusalem.
The Cabinet reiterated the need for joint international, Arab and local efforts to lift the siege on Gaza, end the division and reunite the homeland. It also called for committing Israel to abide to international resolutions, mainly those clearly calling for ending the occupation and granting the Palestinians the right for freedom, self determination and statehood and resolving the issue of refugees according to UN Resolution 194, as the Arab Peace Initiative calls for.
Settlement Products Banning Campaign
Minister of National Economy briefed the Cabinet on the Popular Awareness Campaign titled ‘door to door’ which aims at creating awareness on settlement products, in order to stop its consumption or use in the framework of the national campaign to banning settlement products. The cabinet valued the readiness of people and university students to volunteer in the campaign and praised the public for their support to the campaign and their positive response
The cabinet also discussed government efforts to assist Palestinian workers in settlements to re-integrate in the local economy. It also expressed its full determination to create the circumstances for absorbing those workers in the national economy and called on the private sector to give priority for the employment to people who decide to stop working in settlements.
Arab Traffic Week
Transport Minister briefed the cabinet on the traffic supreme council activities, on the occasion of the Arab Traffic Week 4-10 May 2010, for creating awareness to prevent and minimize traffic accidents. The cabinet ratified a proposal to amend the regulations as to improve and raise standards of traffic safety. The Minister announced the implementation of the new fining system to start next Saturday as to minimize violations.
