The Arabs48 news website reported that senior Palestinian officials said that they are disappointed by the the outcome of the visit of Angela Merkel,the German Chancellor, to Ramallah, in the northern part of the West Bank, where she met with president Mahmoud Abbas. The Palestinian Authority denoucned these statements and welcomed the German role.The sources stated that Merkel showed unprecedented interest and concern for the release and safety of the capture Israeli soldier, corporal Gilad Shalit, and did not “say a word regarding the fate of more than 12000 Palestinians detained and imprisoned by the Israeli occupation”.
The sources also said that Merkel showed lack of interest and support to the Palestinian people living under Israeli occupation and facing invasions and continuous Israeli military attacks.
Moreover, the sources added that there are 12000 detainees, including women, elderly and children, living in bad conditions in Israeli prisons, and that hundreds of detainees are sick and deprived from their medication rights.
“She met with the parents of Shalit”, the source stated, “But she did not even think about meeting any family of Palestinian detainees”.
During a pres conference with Abbas in Ramallah, Merkel refrained to answer questions regarding her position towards the issue of the Palestinian detainees, and only spoke about the importance of releasing Shalit, captured by Palestinian fighters in Gaza last year, and the two soldiers captured by Hizbollah fighters.
Palestinian sources in Bethlehem reported that when Merkel visited the city, she refused to met with heads of churches there as the Palestinian Christians were celebrating Palm Sunday.
She also cancelled a meeting with representatives of civil society institutions without proving any reason for the cancellation.
Meanwhile, Nimir Hammad, political advisor of the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, said on Monday that these sources, which remained unknown, do not represent the official Palestinian stance, and that the Palestinian Authority welcomes that German support to the Palestinian people.
Hammad added that the Palestinian Authorities thanks Merkel and her government for their efforts to revive the role of the Quartet and the German positive stance regarding the Arab Peace Initiative.
