Ramallah, 29-03-08: As 11 heads of state and officials from 8 other Arab nations gather in Damascus today for the Arab League‘s 20th Annual Summit, PNI Secretary General Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP stressed the necessity of national and regional unity in facing the multitude of threats posed to Palestinian national rights and regional stability by Israel‘s ongoing occupation and Apartheid system.
Speaking from Damascus, Dr. Barghouthi urged Palestinian and Arab leaders to seek a unified and democratic platform in the struggle for a just and lasting peace, one based on a political process, adherence to international law, and which respects Palestinian national rights, the rights of refugees, and the right to freedom from Apartheid.
"Israel has made a failure of the Annapolis peace process through its ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people, including the siege on Gaza, attacks, killings, arrests, through the expansion of settlements, and through the creation of an Apartheid system in Palestine," said Dr. Barghouthi.
"Palestinian leaders and their regional counterparts must seek united, creative and pro-active ways to stop Israel from putting the final nail in the coffin of achieving a viable, contiguous, independent Palestinian state on all land occupied in 1967," he concluded.
Israeli Violations since Annapolis in Figures (28 November 2007-27 March 2008)
|
|
Total |
WB |
GS |
|
Israeli military attacks |
1,466 |
683 |
783 |
|
Palestinians killed |
337 (39 children) |
36 |
301 |
|
Palestinians injured |
1,158 (76 children) |
372 |
786 |
|
Palestinians arrested |
2,117 (24 children) |
1,794 |
323 |
**Contacts***
Dr. Barghouthi is currently in Damascus and is available for comment on the Arab League Summit. He can be reached by contacting: 0599-254218 or 0599-940073.