RAMALLAH, June 8, 2017 (WAFA) – “The Palestinian position on (Israeli) settlements is firm and has not changed,” Mohammed Mustafa, economic adviser to President Mahmoud Abbas, said on Thursday. “Stopping and freezing them is a necessity and a prelude to their dismantling and removing them from the territory of the State of Palestine in any final agreement."

Mustafa stressed in a statement the importance of working to remedy the economic crisis, regardless of the negotiations, because it is an integral part of the Palestinian rights. He pointed out that there is a major crisis in the Palestinian economy and “we need a radical change in the economy."

"We cannot wait and say that the economy cannot make any progress until there is a permanent peace agreement, but rather we must work now and in parallel. If the Israelis want to help, we have a clear program regarding our economic rights. But we do not want and we will not be fooled by small and meaningless steps. To come up with five or six small things, wrap them up and present them as if they are major achievements and to try to sell us things we have seen repeatedly in the past will not be acceptable,” he said.

Mustafa, who is also president of the Palestine Investment Fund, the investment arm of the Palestinian Authority, stressed that solving the economic crisis requires the creation of jobs in order to find a solution to the issue of unemployment. He said this requires working on several tracks, foremost is strengthening international aid provided to the government in order to enable it to carry out its duties; second, to work on a strategic and significant investment program that contributes to economic growth, creates jobs and works on achieving national economic independence. This requires that Israel should implement its obligations in terms of allowing the State of Palestine to benefit from its natural resources throughout the West Bank, including the areas defined as ‘C.’

On the political issue, Mustafa said "the Palestinian leadership wants to give the administration of US President Donald Trump an opportunity to re-launch the peace process. The position of the leadership and efforts to realize the national rights in freedom and independence through all diplomatic, popular and political means remain unchanged."

M.K.