PLO calls on EU to ‘reconsider’ relations with Israel

DHAKA: The Palestine Liberation Organization called on the European Union on Tuesday to ‘reconsider’ it political and trade relations with Israel over what it called ‘provocations’.

The EU said on Monday that was ‘deeply dismayed by and strongly opposes Israeli plans to expand settlements in the West Bank, including in east Jerusalem, and in particular plans to develop the E1 area,’ and said all of its agreements with Israel only applied to the pre-1967 lines.

It also denounced as ‘unacceptable’ recent inflammatory statements by Hamas leaders in Gaza ‘that deny Israel’s right to exist’.

Hanan Ashrawi, a PLO Executive Committee member, praised the EU condemnation of Israeli settlement plans, but said it should go further, reports The Jerusalem Post.

‘We call on the EU to hold Israel accountable for its illegal occupation of Palestine, reconsider its political and trade relations with Israel and agreements, including the EU-Israel Association agreement, implement a ban on Israeli settler products and extremist settlers, and rescue the chances for peace and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital,’ Ashrawi said.

Specifically, she condemned Israel for ‘settlement activities and the rise of settler violence’, as well as ‘the blatant attack on Palestinian security forces, the raiding and plundering of the offices of Palestinian NGOs and civil society organisations, and the increase in home demolitions’.

Israeli soldiers raided the offices of three civil society organisations on Tuesday in the heart of Ramallah, wrenching open the doors of the Women’s Union, the Palestinian NGO Network and Addameer, an advocate for Palestinians in Israeli jails, confiscating five computers from the latter group.

BDST: 2042 HRS, DEC 11, 2012
Edited by Robab Rosan, Cultural Affairs Editor, eic@banglanews24.com