U.S called upon to curb Israeli violence

Dr. Ashrawi: The U.S. administration is called upon to play an even-handed role in curbing Israeli violations

Yesterday PLO Executive Committee Member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi bid farewell to outgoing U.S. Consul General Michael Ratney at the PLO Headquarters in Ramallah.

Both parties reviewed the last three years of Mr. Ratney’s mandate in Palestine, and they discussed current Palestinian initiatives and political options for the future, as well as the reasons for the international community’s failure to curb Israeli violations and to launch effective and substantive negotiations based on signed agreements and international law and with concrete steps and a binding timeframe.

They further discussed the dangerous impact of the illegal settlement enterprise and the continued annexation and transformation of Jerusalem.

The tragic aftermath of last year’s war on Gaza and the urgent need for the international community to fulfill its promises and provide emergency relief and aid to the Palestinians of Gaza were also addressed.

In the meeting, Dr. Ashrawi stressed the need for the United States to play an even-handed role in curbing Israeli violations, and she said, “In light of the failed peace ‘process,’ the U.S. administration is called upon to consider a new approach quickly and to exercise the political will necessary to end Israel’s military occupation of Palestine and to safeguard the lives and rights of the Palestinian people.

Now is the time for Israel’s impunity to come to an end before the chances for peace and a two-state solution are destroyed indefinitely.”

ENDS

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