Ramallah, 02-12-06: Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP met with Germany’s Federal Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in Jericho yesterday in the first of a
series of meetings to be held by the German FM in Palestine and Israel.
Dr. Barghouthi briefed Mr. Steinmeier on the current situation in Palestine,
focusing primarily on the process towards forming a national unity government
in which he has played a key role as mediator between Fatah and Hamas.
Dr. Barghouthi also addressed the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip which took effect
on 26 November, five months after Israel re-invaded the Strip, and ongoing
negotiations to expand the ceasefire to the West Bank. He reported that the
humanitarian situation in Gaza remains critical following the deliberate
destruction of key civilian infrastructure when Israel’s “Operation Summer
Rains” began on 28 June, compounded by ongoing financial sanctions imposed on
the Palestinian Authority by Israel since February 2006, together with the
prolonged closures of Gaza’s borders.
He also expressed deep concern that Israel’s plans to irrevocably change facts
on the ground in the West Bank through the expansion of Israeli settlements and
the continued construction of the Separation Wall, both in contravention of
international law and past peace agreements, are continuing unabated.
Dr. Barghouthi called for a greater European role in seeking an end to the
occupation through the establishment of an effective peace process, starting
with an international peace conference to bring resolution of the conflict back
to its basis in international law and United Nations resolutions.
Mr. Steinmeier is in Palestine following trips to Lebanon and Syria, as part of
his sixth visit to the Middle East since becoming Germany's Foreign Minister in
October 2005.