Press Release
Government Media Center
July 5th 2010
In his meeting with Israeli Minister Ehud Barak
PM Fayyad demands a speedy lift of the siege imposed on Gaza
And an end to Israeli violations in Jerusalem and incursions in the West Bank
Prime Minister Salam Fayyad confirmed discussing with Israeli Minister, Ehud Barak, in his meeting today a number of vital and fundamental issues related to Israeli violations of our people’s rights in the West Bank, including Jerusalem and Gaza. The discussion focused on the following issues:
First- A speedy lifting of the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip and implementing the 2005 Agreement that includes the operation of the Safe Passage between the West Bank and Gaza, reopening all border crossings, with European presence and PNA supervision, which would guarantee the full abidance to agreements regulating the operation of border crossings, especially with regards to the free movement of individuals and flow of goods from and to the Gaza Strip.
Second – the need for an immediate freeze of all settlement activities, especially in Jerusalem, as well as stopping all oppressive measures against the Palestinian people, including the policy of house demolitions, tightening restrictions and the need to cancel deportation orders against Jerusalem PLC members.
Third – Israeli commitment to stop military incursions into West Bank towns and enabling official and permanent deployment of Palestinian security forces in all populated communities outside towns.
The meeting also discussed important issues, including the need to release political prisoners from Israeli prisons, primarily long-serving prisoners, who have been detained prior to the signature of the Oslo Accords, lifting the closure and the checkpoints inside and between West Bank towns and cities, removing restrictions imposed on implementing developmental projects in Area C.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for implementing those issues, while affirming the seriousness in ending the occupation and reaching a just and permanent peace, on the basis of full commitment to international resolutions
The Prime Minister stressed the need to implement those issues while confirming the importance the cabinet gives to ending the occupation and reaching a just and permanent peace on the basis of full commitment to international resolutions and the need for a substantial change in Israeli approach towards guaranteeing an end to occupation instead of manipulative media exploitation of the process.
Prime Minister Fayyad considered an Israeli commitment to those vital and fundamental issues and their implementation would grant the peace process as well as international efforts the credibility that would guarantee its progress and achieve its desired goals, primarily ending the Israeli occupation of 1967 occupied Palestinian land and enable Palestinian self determination and the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital.
The PM stressed that this would require an effective intervention from the international community, especially the United States, and taking direct responsibility for ending the Israeli occupation rather than leaving Israel, which is the occupying force to decide such matters.
END