ARAB LEAGUE : OBAMA SEEKING SATISFYING ISRAEL
Gaza, 9 Jumadil Awal 1434/21 March 2013 (MINA) – Arab League criticized U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to the region, that it has no vision for establishment of a Palestinian state on the borders of June 1967 as expected.
“Arabs and Palestinians were expecting President Obama to adopt establishment of a Palestinian state project, which did not happen” said Mohammed Sobeih, Arab League Assistant Secretary-General for Palestine Affairs, according to Alray Media Agency reports monitored by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) Thursday (21/3).
Sobeih denounced that a president of the largest states in the world, and a key member state of the UNSC, has come with nothing in hand”.
“It seems that Obama’s visit is exploratory, aimed largely to appease Israel at our expense”, he pointed out, adding “it comes during an intensified suffering of the Palestinian people, especially in light of a more aggressive right-wing government being already formed in Israel”.
Sobeih indicated to the warm Israeli reception to U.S. President. He made clear that “Israel is not only falsifying historical facts, but heritage also”.
Meanwhile, Gaza-based premier Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said Thursday he did not expect Obama’s visit to change the situation for Palestinians.
“We believe American policies perpetuate the Israeli occupation and settlements in Palestine under the slogan of peace,” Haniyeh said in a statement.
He added, “The PA must realize that they have to abide by national principles and reconciliation.”
Referring to Obama’s remarks a day earlier during a news conference with Israel’s prime minister about Iran’s threats, Haniyeh said Iran was not an enemy to Arabs despite certain differences.
The U.S. president arrived in Israel yesterday at the start of his regional trip ending in Jordan on Saturday. Analysts say “Obama’s visit aims mainly to revive friendship between Obama and Netanyahu, and to restore his popularity in Israel”. (T/P01).
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
