Following her meeting with Italian MP Hon. Lia Quartapelle Procopio, Dr. Ashrawi condemns Knesset law aimed to unite Jerusalem
PLO Executive Committee Member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi met with Italian MP Lia Quartapelle Procopio who was accompanied by Italian Consul General Fabio Sokoloicz today at the PLO Headquarters in Ramallah.
Dr. Ashrawi provided a comprehensive overview of Israel’s prejudicial and illegal steps concerning Jerusalem and its status and reality on the ground, including Israeli unlawful measures of ethnic cleansing and apartheid by means of the escalated expansion of the illegal settlement enterprise, home demolitions and revocation of Jerusalem IDs.
The discussion focused on the latest political and regional developments, as well as the role of Europe and the international community in view of the current U.S. administration’s total disdain for international law and multilateralism and its dangerous moves that have undermined the chances for peace
Dr. Ashrawi called on the international community to form a coalition of the willing for peace that undertakes an urgent and effective course of action with concrete and specific steps to hold Israel accountable for its flagrant violations of international law and to guarantee freedom and sovereignty for Palestine: “In light of the gravity of situation, it is incumbent upon all global leaders to intervene immediately, not just to prevent further deterioration but to also undo the damage and rectify the situation as soon as possible.”
They reviewed the internal situation, as well as the latest developments concerning reconciliation and elections as a means for Palestinian empowerment.
Both parties also examined Palestinian-Italian relations and stressed the importance of continuing cooperation and coordination in various fields.
Following her meeting, Dr. Ashrawi issued the following statement:
"We strongly denounce the Knesset's approval of a bill to place Palestinian neighborhoods in Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty and to require the approval of 80 Knesset members (out of 120) to return any part of Jerusalem to the Palestinians. Such a law severely changes the status of Jerusalem and creates an illegal and extrajudicial Israeli and Jewish exclusivity over all of Jerusalem— a city whose status remains that of “corpus separatum” under United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 (II). Under international law, Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem is unlawful and constitutes a direct breach of Israel’s obligations as a belligerent occupier. Such legislation builds upon a long series of racist laws, proposals and measures that reveal Israel’s intent to erase the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem, destroy the territorial contiguity and demographic presence of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), and to impose a de facto one-state solution. Without East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, the chances for peace will be destroyed indefinitely.”