Brussels, 09/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, has given a warm welcome to the European declaration on the conflict with Israel, adopted on Tuesday 8 December by the Council of Ministers of the EU, describing the statement as “a victory for international law and its legitimacy”. He also asserted that the European position was an “important step” towards greater awareness among the international community about its “responsibilities for putting a stop to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967, including east Jerusalem” and endowing Palestinians with the right of self-determination and the right to build their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He thanked the EU for having never recognised the annexation of East Jerusalem and called for an end to the settlement policy in Palestinian territories. He also condemned other practices (the demolition of houses, the expulsion of Palestinians to outside Jerusalem, the separation wall etc) that are “contrary to international law and the principle of two states coexisting”. Mr Fayyad said that “the EU's position paves the way to it playing a greater role” in finding peace. He sharply criticised Israeli leaders and stressed that Israel was not a country “outside of the law or the only actor in the region”. (F.B./transl.fl)