Dr. Ashrawi: “There will never be a contiguous Palestinian state as long as settlements remain intact”
PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi met with Sir Simon Gass, Political Director and the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as representatives from the British Consulate and DFID.
In the meeting, Dr. Ashrawi stressed, “The facts on the ground speak for themselves. There will never be a contiguous Palestinian state as long as settlements remain intact. The Palestinian position has been constant: all settlements and outposts are illegal under international law.”
She added, “Extreme right-wing officials have hijacked the Israeli political agenda which serves the settlers at the expense of peace. They are responsible for the emergence of the language and culture of hate, racism and violence in Israel.”
“Israel is not used to paying a price or to being held accountable for its military occupation of Palestine and its persistent violations. If U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s peace initiative is to succeed then Israel much comply with international law and conventions, particularly in the case of the 1967 borders, Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees,” concluded Dr. Ashrawi.
PRESS RELEASE
PLO Executive Committee
Department of Culture and Information
August 5, 2013