Ramallah – Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative, met with an American delegation from different religious organizations from Washington, D.C. The delegation included (mac dormeit), a member of Congress in America.
Dr. Barghouthi spoke about the dangers from the Apartheid Wall and that Israel’s aim behind the Wall is to isolate East Jerusalem from its surroundings and separate it from what is left of the West Bank.
He emphasized that ‘Gaza first’ must not be ‘Gaza last’ and that more settlements must be evacuated until the illegal occupation of Palestinian land is completely ended. Palestinian viability and independence must be allowed so that Palestinians can live in freedom, dignity, and security.
Dr. Barghouthi warned that Israel will transform the the Gaza Strip into a giant prison if they do not hand control of the borders to Palestinians and guarantee a safe passage between the West Bank and Gaza.
He explained to the visitors the developments of the democratic process and the positive effects of the presidential elections as well as the upcoming Legislative Council election. He pointed out the process and the necessity of building a strong, independent national economy, and guaranteeing the rights of citizens to education, health, and fighting poverty and unemployment.
He renewed his request for an international peace conference to return the conflict to prominence, to avert any more disastrous partial agreements, and to preclude the thought of a ‘temporary’ Palestinian state, that Israel trying to impose. The conference would be the first step toward a negotiated solution with its basis in international law.