BETHLEHEM, May 20, 2025 (WAFA) – Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa affirmed on Tuesday that more than 19 months have passed since the start of the ongoing Israeli aggression, which began with a series of bloody crimes that continue to cost the Palestinian people their lives, land, and resources.
“The Palestinian leadership, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, is diligently working to overcome this grave crisis in a way that serves the higher national interests of our people,” the Prime Minister stated during the Cabinet session convened today in Bethlehem.
Prime Minister Mustafa emphasized that the destructive policies and practices pursued by the Israeli occupation aim primarily to undermine the Palestinian national project and prevent the establishment of the independent, sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. “We are committed to thwarting these attempts together,” he asserted.
The Prime Minister extended greetings to the steadfast Palestinian people everywhere, especially in Bethlehem Governorate. “We meet today in Bethlehem, the cradle of peace, to follow up on the situation in this resilient governorate, which—like all parts of our homeland—has not been spared from the occupation’s actions and ongoing aggression, whether in beloved Gaza or the northern West Bank,” he said.
He also welcomed recent principled international positions, particularly the joint statement issued yesterday by the United Kingdom, France, and Canada, as well as earlier statements by European leaders and friendly countries. These positions called for an end to the aggression, an immediate halt to the famine in Gaza, and the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid.
The statements also warned of further concrete measures should Israel continue its renewed military offensive, while affirming support for a political path that ends the occupation and leads to the realization of the independent Palestinian state on the ground.
Mustafa further expressed appreciation to the representatives of diplomatic missions, international organizations, and media outlets who joined the field visit to Tulkarm organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to witness the current situation firsthand amid ongoing Israeli aggression. He noted that a second visit is scheduled for tomorrow in Jenin to shed further light on the impact of Israeli occupation aggression in the governorate.
During the session, the Cabinet approved a set of key decisions and interventions for Bethlehem across multiple sectors, including healthcare, justice, public works, transportation, tourism, economy, and labor.
In addition, the Cabinet instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates to intensify international engagement to expose the violations committed by Israeli occupation forces and colonists. The Ministry was specifically directed to address recent attacks on Palestinian citizens and their property, including repeated assaults on Solomon’s Pools, and to urgently engage UNESCO and other relevant international institutions in this regard.
T.R.
