Embassy of the State of Palestine

(Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon voiced concerns on Friday about the worsening health of Palestinian hunger strikers in Israeli detention and demanded that they either be formally charged or released immediately.

Several dozen Palestinians on hunger strike, protesting Israel's use of administrative detention to keep them behind bars, have been taken to hospital.

Australia’s new policy of refusing to describe East Jerusalem as “occupied”, confirmed by a statement made by Attorney-General George Brandis in consultation with Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, will not be helpful to Australia’s reputation, the peace process or Israel itself.
The Abbott government’s new position shatters what has been for nearly 50 years a completely bipartisan position. Neither Fraser and Peacock, nor Howard and Downer either adopted or even explored taking a similar stance. And for very good reason.

RAMALLAH, June 8, 2014 (WAFA) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday recalled the Representative of Australia to Palestine, Thomas Wilson, to protest against remarks made by the Attorney-General of Australia, George Brandis, in which he called for not referring to East Jerusalem as an occupied territory.
Al-Maliki called on the Australia Government and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide an official clarification on their announced position towards occupied East Jerusalem.

PLO Executive Committee member, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi strongly denounced Australian Attorney-General George Brandis’ announcement that East Jerusalem is not occupied:

“It is absolutely disgraceful and shocking that on the 47th anniversary of Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank (including East Jerusalem), and Gaza, Australian Attorney-General George Brandis is issuing such inflammatory and irresponsible statements that ‘occupied East Jerusalem’ is ‘a term freighted with pejorative implications, which is neither appropriate nor useful.’ Such pronouncements are not only in blatant violation of international law and global consensus, but are also lethal in any pursuit of peace and toxic to any attempt at enacting a global rule of law.”

Following the Israeli government’s approval of thousands of new settlement units in the Occupied State of Palestine, PLO Executive Committee Member and head of the Palestinian negotiations team Dr. Saeb Erekat stated:

The Israeli government is celebrating 47 years of occupation and war crimes with the approval of thousands of new settlement units in the Occupied State of Palestine. Because the international community has not moved forcefully enough to stop illegal settlement activity, the government led by Prime Minister Netanyahu has reaffirmed its intent to challenge international law and international peace efforts by further colonizing our occupied country. This time Israel is using Palestinian national unity, a step welcomed by the international community, as their excuse to continue the colonization of Palestine.

PLO Executive Committee, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi condemned the announcement of 1,500 new settlement units in and around Jerusalem in the strongest terms:

“Israel’s latest announcement of tenders for 1,500 settlement units is not part new of a new strategy; this constitutes a deliberate and systematic policy that aims to rob the Palestinians of their land and ethnically cleanse them from historical Palestine.”

identical letters sent today by Ambassador Dr. Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine to the United Nations, to the UN Secretary-General, President of the Security Council (Russian Federation) and President of the General Assembly on the 47th year of Israeli occupation, Israel's colonial settlement campaign, and the critical situation of Palestinian prisoners and detainees in Israeli prisons.

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- "Today, with the formation of a national consensus government, we announce the end of a Palestinian division that has greatly damaged our national case," Abbas said at his Ramallah headquarters after the new cabinet was sworn in.
President Abbas has pledged that the new administration will abide by the principles laid down by the Middle East peace Quartet: Recognize Israel, reject violence and abide by all existing agreements.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said Monday the U.S. would judge the new government between Fatah and Hamas by its actions, including its commitment to nonviolence and recognition of Israel.

"We intend to work with this government, but will be watching closely to make sure it upholds the principles that President Abbas reiterated today," she said.

Psaki said the United States would continue to disperse U.S. foreign assistance to the government but would continue to "evaluate the policies and positions of the new government."

PLO Executive Committee member and member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Dr. Ashrawi stressed:

“More than 100 of the prisoners who began their hunger strike on April 24 have been hospitalized, and their health conditions are deteriorating rapidly.”

Dr. Ashrawi added, “The deafening silence from the international media and some official circles regarding the hundreds of Palestinian prisoner hunger strikers is inexcusable.”

“With 2014 as the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, we call on all states, members of the press, and people of conscience to pressure Israel to drop its cruel and illegal use of the colonial practice of administrative detention and other administrative punitive measures and form an independent international commission of inquiry to investigate the severe and illegal violations committed by the IPS.”