Barghouthi warns that Palestinians have no Israeli partner for peace
Ramallah, 02-10-07: Israel announced another of its "goodwill gestures" ahead of the US-sponsored peace meeting to be held in November with the release of 86 Palestinian prisoners since Monday. But the facts on the ground tell another story: since US President George Bush announced the meeting in a speech on 16 July 2007, Israel has killed 97 Palestinians, injured 383, arrested 1,050 and increased the number of checkpoints in the West Bank from 543 in August to 572 in September.
PNI leader Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP underlined today that the widely publicised liberation of 86 prisoners is nothing but another publicity stunt by the Israeli government to appear full of goodwill before the US sponsored ‘peace‘ conference, whilst actively sabotaging all prospects for peace at the same time.
Dr. Barghouthi pointed out that between 16 July and 1 October 2007, 976 Palestinians have been arrested in the West Bank and 74 in the Gaza Strip, including 52 children.
This comes as the Israeli military has continued its campaign of killing and injuring scores of Palestinians. From 16 July to 1 October 2007, 97 Palestinians have been killed (18 in the West Bank; 79 in the Gaza Strip) 12 of whom were children. During the same period, some 383 Palestinians were injured (219 in the West Bank; 164 in the Gaza Strip) including 53 children.
In yet a further illustration of its lack of commitment to real peace, and despite recent claims by Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak to Condoleeza Rice that the number of physical movement restrictions in the West Bank would be decreased, Dr. Barghouthi highlighted that an additional 29 checkpoints were put in place in the West Bank between August and September 2007.
Looking at the West Bank only, Dr. Barghouthi pointed out that the current Israeli policy claims to be to bolster the government there and to ease living conditions. Yet the reality is far different, one where Israel is continuing its attack against the Palestinian people, revealing the emptiness of its words.
Dr. Barghouthi recalled that Israel‘s last prisoner release on 20 July 2007, when 250 prisoners were released in another so-called "goodwill gesture" was also a scam, with Israel arresting more than 300 Palestinians between the time it first talked of liberating prisoners and the actual liberation of the 250. He added that Israel continues to hold more than 11,000 Palestinians prisoners, including 328 children and 104 women.
Dr. Barghouthi said that when confronted with its actions on the ground, the Israeli discourse failed a reality check, concluding that there is no Israeli partner for peace.