Embassy of the State of Palestine

In a meeting on April 30th with the European Union (EU) Representative to the West Bank, Gaza Strip and UNRWA, John Gatt-Rutter, Deputy EU Representative, David Greer, and Head of the Political Section, Hans Grundberg, at the PLO headquarters in Ramallah.
PLO Executive Committee member, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi urged the international community, in particular the European Union, to continue upgrading its relations with Palestine, and to recognize the State of Palestine, as well as to curb the Israel’s persistent violations and unilateral measures, particularly its illegal settlement activity, apartheid walls, home demolitions, the revocation of the residency status of thousands of Palestinians living in Jerusalem, the abuse and torture of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, the annexation of land in Area C, its continued siege and blockade of the Gaza Strip, and the isolation of Jerusalem from its Palestinian environs.

The US secretary of state, John Kerry, has warned in a closed-door meeting in Washington that Israel risks becoming an "apartheid state" if US-sponsored efforts to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement fail.

PLO Executive Committee Member Dr. Saeb Erekat issued a statement on end of the nine months negotiations period in which he emphasized the Palestinian stand saying:
“We remained fully committed to this 9 month process, despite an escalation of oppressive Israeli policies. Israel should once and
for all understand that negotiations are a peaceful tool towards achieving peace rather than a smoke screen behind which it can
continue its violations of human rights, further its settlement enterprise and make the two-state solution increasingly impossible.”

According to a special report issued on April 29,2004 by the Palestinian Negotiations Affairs Department during the past 9 months, 61 Palestinians died due to the action of Israeli forces and more than 1100 injured by Israeli military and security officials.

Israeli settlement watchdog, Peace Now, which issued its report on Tuesday, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “broke all construction records in the settlements” in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

“This is an unprecedented number representing an average of 50 housing units per day or 1,540 per month,” the left-wing NGO said.

RAMALLAH, April 27, 2014 (WAFA) - In response to a question on the occasion of Holocaust Day, raised in conversation with Rabbi Marc Schneier, President Mahmoud Abbas said that: what happened to the Jews in the Holocaust is the most heinous crime to have occurred against humanity in the modern era. He expressed his sympathy with the families of the victims and many other innocent people who were killed by the Nazis.

President Abbas stressed that the Holocaust is a reflection of the concept of ethnic discrimination and racism which the Palestinians strongly reject and act against.

President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that the Palestinian unity government with Hamas would recognize Israel and renounce violence.
“The government reports to me and follows my policies,” President Abbas said during a meeting of the PLO Central Council in Ramallah. “I recognize Israel and so will the government. I renounce violence and terrorism, and I recognize international legitimacy, and so will the government.”
President Abbas said he held Israel responsible for the crisis in the peace talks because of its refusal to release the fourth batch of Palestinian prisoners at the end of March.
He accused Israel of refusing to halt settlement construction.
He said he would agree to an extension of the talks only if prisoners are released and there is a complete cessation of settlement construction. He added that the new government would honor all previous agreements signed by the PLO.
“No one has the right to say that this is a terrorist or extremist government,” he added.
He also called for an end to the blockade on the Gaza Strip.

Abbas said that there is no contradiction between reconciliation and negotiation "because we are committed to achieving a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution and international resolutions."

"Unity of the land and people will empower and contribute to the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital," he added.

PLO Executive Committee member, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, marked Palestinian Prisoners’ Day by reaffirming that the freedom of the 5,224 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons remains the PLO’s top priority:

“The Palestinian leadership is currently focusing its efforts on Palestine’s accession to the Four Geneva Conventions of August 12, 1949 and the First Additional Protocol, and ensuring their implementation in regards to occupied Palestine, with the issue of Palestinian political prisoners at the forefront.”

Israel continues its aggression against Palestinian children in the occupied territories, despite calls to end the ill-treatment of minors during and after arrests, Press TV reports.