Ramallah, 12-04-06: A delegation of Members of the European Parliament (MEP’s), led by Luisa Morgantini, President of the European Parliament Development Commission, visited Palestinian National Initiative offices today as part of a wider solidarity tour of Palestine.
The MEP’s met with members of the PNI youth section, Mawakeb Massad and Khalid Kharajeh, and were briefed on the current situation on the ground in Palestine by PNI General Secretary, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP.
Dr. Barghouthi described how Ehud Olmert’s so-called ‘Convergence Plan’, which aims to determine the permanent borders of the Israeli state by 2009 based on the route of the Separation Wall, will undermine the possibility of a contiguous and independent future Palestinian state.
The plan will effectively annex the Jordan Valley and East Jerusalem, as well as major, illegally built settlement blocs, to Israel in a unilateral move that stands in direct contravention of several United Nations resolutions, international law, and peace agreements to which Israel itself is party.
He also warned that the decision by members of the international community to cut all ties, both diplomatic and financial, with the Palestinian Authority is set to exacerbate an already grave humanitarian situation. He added that the Palestinian people should not be punished for their democratic protest vote in recent legislative elections, and that the outcome of these elections must be respected.
Dr. Barghouthi stressed that the only hope for achieving a just peace lies a return to the negotiating table, and called for an international peace conference to resurrect the defunct ‘peace process’.
Luisa Morgantini criticized the EU decision to halt funding to the Palestinian Authority. She described the democratic process in Palestine as a model for the region and added that the world should respect the democratic choice of the Palestinian people. In conclusion, Ms. Morgantini acknowledged the threat the ‘Convergence Plan’ poses to the possibility of a viable future Palestinian state, and called for efforts to seek a just and peaceful resolution of the conflict.