RAMALLAH, August 27, 2018 (WAFA) - PLO Executive Committee Member Hanan Ashrawi received an official Chilean Parliamentary delegation along with Palestinian expatriates and journalists from Chile, at the PLO Headquarters in Ramallah and welcomed them to Palestine.
Affirming the historic and positive ties between Palestine and Chile, Ashrawi expressed her sincere appreciation to the Chilean government and people for their firm and continued support of the Palestinian cause and for working to safeguard the inalienable rights of people of Palestine.
She further stressed popular non-violent resistance and solidarity activism, as well as the significant role of the Palestinian community in Chile.
Ashrawi briefed her guests on the latest political and regional developments, including the escalation of Israel‘s illegal settlement enterprise and theft of Palestinian land and resources throughout the occupied West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and its implementation of racist and bigoted laws and draft legislation and proposals in direct breach of international law and international humanitarian law, as well as other egregious violations.
In that context, Ashrawi stressed, "Israel has been emboldened by the American administration‘s blanket support for the right-wing extremist government of Israel and its complicity in Israel‘s lawlessness and impunity."
The discussion also focused on the U.S. administration‘s unilateral and illegal policies, in particular its decision to cut off funds to the Palestinian people, including the refugees and the Palestinian Authority, in addition to its projected plans to dismantle UNRWA.
"Along with its illegal recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving its embassy there, the U.S. is thereby destroying the very foundations of peace and laying the groundwork for further conflict, violence and instability. Instead of acting as an honest peace broker, this American administration is doing the bidding of Israel and implementing its unilateral expansionist plans at the expense of Palestinian sovereignty, rights and freedom," said Ashrawi in a statement.
Ashrawi urged all members of the international community to hold Israel to account for its deliberate and systematic violations in order to bring an end to the belligerent military occupation and grave suffering of the Palestinian people once and for all.
At the end of the meeting, she answered the visiting delegation‘s questions regarding the role of women in society, the responsibilities of the international community, the genuine requirements of peace, and ways of further enhancing Palestinian-Chilean ties.
T.R.
