RAMALLAH, June 19, 2018 (WAFA) - PLO Executive Committee Member Hanan Ashrawi urged the Europeans "to navigate closely with us in these turbulent times."
During a meeting with the Deputy Secretary General for Political Affairs of the European External Action Service, Jean Christophe Belliard and his delegation at the PLO Headquarters in Ramallah, Ashrawi emphasized the need for the Europeans "to navigate closely with us in these turbulent times" by having the E.U. and member states intervene and implement serious political and economic measures to hold Israel to account for its egregious violations.
The discussion centered on the latest political developments, in particular the United States‘ irresponsible and dangerous moves regarding Jerusalem and the relocation of its embassy there, and cutting funding to UNRWA, the refusal to adhere to the two-state solution, the 1967 boundaries, the illegality of the Jewish settlements and even dropping the term ‘occupation‘ from its political lexicon.
"Such American collusion with the Israeli occupation and with the most extreme and hardline coalition in Israel is a recipe for disaster and ensures the failure of any so-called ‘peace initiative.‘ In this context the latest American moves in the region present a real challenge to the prospect of a serious peace given their full adoption of Israeli priorities and plans,” said the statement.
Ashrawi stressed that attempting to sever Gaza from the rest of Palestine and treat it as a humanitarian issue to ensure Israel‘s security would contribute to the undermining of the chances of peace.
“At the same time, attempting to conclude a regional agreement at the expense of the Palestinians would be doomed to failure,” she said.
“No one can deliver the Palestinians. No one can break the will of the Palestinian people or their resilience,"added Ashrawi.
Ashrawi also told the visiting European delegation that she hoped for a "courageous commitment to justice and to the requirements of peace in order to set in motion a new dynamic to withstand all these dangerous moves that threaten the global multilateral system and the rule of law."
In a separate meeting with Thomas Nader, Director of Near and Middle East, Maghreb and Mashreq States who was accompanied by Head of the Austrian Representative Office Andrea Nasi, Ashrawi Ashrawi stressed the need for reconciliation, the importance of rejuvenating and reforming Palestine‘s political system as well as holding comprehensive democratic elections.
Both parties also reviewed the relations between the two countries and discussed ways to restore and develop them and enhance coordination and mutual cooperation between Palestine and Austria particularly given Austria‘s changed voting record in the United Nations General Assembly and in light of the results of the latest Austrian elections.
The two sides also assessed the internal Palestinian situation.
T.R.
