By: Tala al-Rimwai
RAMALLAH, November 22, 2014 (WAFA) – Multiple cooperation agreements were signed on Saturday with the Belgium, Turkish and Spanish municipalities, on the sidelines of the International Conference of Local Authorities in Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
Marking the International year of solidarity with the Palestinian people,
the conference began its sessions on Thursday evening, where many of key issues
were discussed and highlighted with the participation of over 250 countries that
came to show solidarity with the Palestinian people.
The United Nations General
Assembly assigned the year 2014 as a year of solidarity with Palestinians as
means to mobilize the widest international support to help enable Palestinians to
fulfill their aspirations of a just, lasting peace and the establishment of
their sovereign and independent state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as it
capital.
Cooperation agreements were signed with the Spanish, and Belgium municipalities;
multiple collaboration agreements between the municipalities of Ramallah and
Hebron and their Spanish San Sebastian counterpart, in addition to two other
agreements with two Turkish municipalities.
The Ramallah municipality also signed an agreement with its Belgium
counterpart. Another agreement is
scheduled to be signed on Sunday with the South African municipality.
“The agreement between the municipalities of Hebron and San
Sebastian are established on the basis of respect for International
humanitarian law and international human rights law,” stressed Head of Ramallah
Municipality, Musa Hadid at the signing ceremony of the agreements held in
Ramallah.
He expressed hope to sign further cooperation agreements with other
world countries in order to broaden the base of solidarity with the Palestinian
people in order to fulfill their rights of establishing an independent state
with East Jerusalem as its Capital.
Two other agreements were also signed between the municipality of Hebron
and two Turkish counterparts in the framework of collaboration between them.
Head of one of two Turkish municipalities expressed hope that these
two agreements will promote effective collaboration between the two countries,
including the exchange of knowledge and experiences, as well as encourage further
cooperation relations.
He expressed hope that by the next time they visit, “Palestine would
have gained its independence.”
Head of San Sebastian municipality, Juan Carlos Izagirre, stressed
that these agreements represent their full solidarity with the Palestinian
people, hoping that this conference would help spread awareness to their people
in order to mobilize a popular support that would pressure law makers at their parliament
and government to take action for the Palestinian people to enable them to fulfill
their aspirations of their own independent state and to achieve their legitimate
rights.
“Our agreements with the San
Sebastian municipality will allow us as partners to ensure close relations
between our respective administrations and inhabitant,” said Director of Al
Quds Center for Legal Aid, Issam Arori at the reception.
Head of a Belgium Municipality stressed that Belgium, particularly Liege,
is with the Palestinian people, stressing that “the city of Liege is looking
forward to establish more committed relations with Palestine.
“Today we would like to offer all of our solidarity to the suffering
of the Palestinian people,” said Head of a Belgium Municipality, expressing
support to President Mahmoud Abbas’ move to take the Palestinian case to the
United Nations and praising his commitment to peace and rejection of violence.
A project to support the water sector in Dora area, in Hebron, was
also signed with the French side.
T.R.
