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Dr. Hanan Ashrawi calls for deployment of international forces in occupied Palestinian territory

Saturday 20 January 2007

See : http://www.maannews.net

Date: 20 / 01 / 2007 Time: 12:37

Ramallah - Ma’an - Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council from the “Third Way” bloc, has demanded that Javier Solana, the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union, works on raising the political role of the European Union in the Middle East peace process, and not limit its role to purely economic aspects.

Dr Ashrawi met with Dr Solana in Ramallah yesterday.

Ashrawi denied the statements of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert over the removal of some checkpoints, and improvements made to the freedom of movement of the Palestinian people, stating, “the Palestinian people have not seen any change and that the conditions are deteriorating across various levels”.

Dr Ashrawi declared that she believed in the ability of the European Union to exert pressure on Israel to return to the negotiating table, and resume the peace process, as well as being influential in the reduction of Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights.

Following the meeting, she stated, “it is not logical that the European Bank resumes investment in Israel without stipulating that Israel respect international conventions and norms, and international decisions on the Palestinian issue.”

Ashrawi praised the European efforts, particularly those of the Spanish, French, British and Germans that have called for an international conference for peace in the Middle East, in an attempt to break the American monopoly over what is seen by many as the imposition of a peace settlement, favourable to US-Israeli interests.

Ashrawi also warned of the intentions of the occupying Israeli army to take military adventures in the Gaza Strip, to try to restore its prestige lost during the last war in Lebanon, and called on Europe to intervene through the deployment of international forces in the Palestinian territories, so as to remove the threat of a military escalation.