SOFIA, August 31, 2011 (WAFA) – Member of the European Parliament for the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party (GERB), Iliana Ivanova, supported the Palestinian bid to gain full United Nations membership of a Palestinian state within 1967 borders and East Jerusalem as its capital on Monday.

Palestinian ambassador to Bulgaria, Ahmed Mathboh, informed Ivanova of the latest updates in the Palestinian and Arab situation and the Palestinian leadership's insistence on heading to the UN, in light of Israel's continuous refusal of the peace process principles and its failure to abide by international resolutions, mainly: to recognize a Palestinian state within 1967 borders, halt settlement activities, remove the Apartheid Wall and end the siege on Gaza.

Ivanova thus informed Mathboh of her support to the Palestinian bid and affirmed the Palestinians' right to self-determination and establishing an independent state.

R.Q./F.J.