Ramallah, 25-07-07: Palestinian National Initiative leader, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP, today criticised comments made by British Foreign Minister David Miliband on the fate of Palestinian refugees in a recent interview with the Financial Times.
Mr. Miliband is reported to have said that any final solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine would not include the right of return for Palestinian refugees, a statement which seeks to determine the outcome of final status negotiations before they even begin, said Dr. Barghouthi.
He added that Mr. Miliband‘s comments clearly reflected the Israeli narrative, and stressed that in light of Britain‘s key historical and current role in the conflict, it should strive to remain impartial. He pointed out that such statements could harm efforts towards a fruitful, effective peace process.
Meanwhile, Dr. Barghouthi also protested the announcement by Israeli settlers to build a new outpost adjacent to Efrat, an Israeli settlement located between the Palestinian cities of Bethlehem and Hebron. He called on the international community to take immediate action, and to stop ignoring the ongoing development of Israel‘s settlement enterprise which is continuing at full speed.
Dr. Barghouthi highlighted the illegality of all Israeli settlements and their associated infrastructure under international law, and emphasised that they pose serious obstacles to the achievement of a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and of a just peace in the region.