PALESTINIAN FM CONDEMNS ISRAELI MINISTER’S STATEMENTS AGAINST ABBAS

Ramallah, 18 Jumadil Awwal 1435/ 19 March 2014 (MINA) – The Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Riyad Malki in a statement Wednesday, condemned statements made by the Israeli Minister of Economics, Naftali Bennett, in which he attacked President Mahmoud Abbas.

It said Bennett’s statements “are aimed at hiding his ‘true face’ and that of the anti-peace Israeli officials, who insist on a continuing occupation and denial of our people’s rights.” WAFA reported as quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA).

In a relative development, the ministry said it is following up on the latest development of the imminent release of the fourth batch of the pre-Oslo Agreement prisoners set for the end of March, through the Palestinian embassies worldwide, the United Nations as well as through other regional organizations, in order to put an end to Israel’s attempts to evade the release of prisoners.

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The ministry held the Israeli government fully responsible for the repercussions of such positions called upon by some Israeli ‘extremist’ officials.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a press release, last Thursday also warned of the implications of the recent Israeli escalation against the Palestinian people which could have impacts on the region as a whole and on the U.S. and international efforts exerted to insure the success of negotiations.

The ministry condemned the “deliberate escalation” led by the Israeli government against the Palestinian people and their leadership through what it described as “daily assassinations” in addition to the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip, the non-stop settlement construction and the Judaization of the Palestinian land, including Jerusalem.

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It further denounced a decision by the Supreme Court of Israel giving settlers the right to purchase of a Palestinian-owned building in Hebron for settlement purposes as well as a decision by Israel’s government to build 287 settlement units in Ramat Shlomo settlement.

“The Ministry calls [upon the international community] to curb the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians and put an end to its disobedience of the international law, the resolutions of the international legitimacy, the Geneva Conventions and the UN Convention.”(T/P04/P03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)