EU Foreign Policy chief Javier Solana met with Palestine Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ziad Abu Amr in Brussels on Tuesday and discussed the latest developments in Palestine. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Abu Amr called on the international community to end the siege of the Palestinian people which has started after the Islamic Resistance Movement, (Hamas) won the parliamentary elections and formed the government in March of 2006.
Following armed clashes between the two main rival parties, Fatah and Hamas, the two agreed in the Saudi holy city for Muslims “Makkah” to form a National unity government last February, which is facing a serious crisis as a result of the siege that was not lifted and the internal clashed that renewed.
Despite that, the Palestinian FM sounded certain that this unity government will hold on.
“We don’t have alternative to the national unity government. I’m not really worried about the future of the national unity government,” Abu Amr said, “But something has to be done to help end the security chaos in Palestine and more particularly in Gaza,’ he added.
Abu Amr held Israel also responsible for the crisis the Palestinian Government is going through as it is holding nearly 700 million U dollars of tax money that dues to the Palestinian people.
‘It’s important that Israelis release our money that they hold back, we need this money to alleviate the social, security and economic problems, and we call upon the international community to end the political and financial siege on the Palestinian government and people,’ said the PA minister.
On his part, Solana said ‘It would be very difficult to move forward politically if the situation internally among the Palestinians has not a good level and security is not guaranteed,’ adding that he intends to travel to the region soon.
On Monday Abu Amr attended the meeting of EU foreign ministers with some of their counterparts from the Arab League in Brussels.
The EU, which is member of the Quartet committee for peace in the Middle East, together with the United States, the United Nations and Russia, insist that the Palestinian government should recognize Israel, renounce violence, and honor all the previously signed agreements between Israel and the PLO and the Palestinian Authority.
The newly formed Palestinian Unity Government said it honors the previous agreements and Hamas, who refuses to recognize Israel said they are willing to accept a Palestinian State on the pre-1967 borders, but refused to renounce violence. Apparently this is not enough for the international community to end the blockade which has created an unprecedented financial and social crisis in Palestine.
