The Palestinian Authority on Thursday rejected a U.S. State Department decision to deny President Mahmoud Abbas a visa to attend next week’s United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York for the second consecutive year, describing the measure as “unjustified.”
اضافة اعلان
In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said it rejected the U.S. decision to extend visa restrictions on officials of the Palestinian Authority and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
The ministry said the measure was inconsistent with efforts to rebuild trust, develop Palestinian-American relations, and create the political conditions needed to implement a two-state solution and achieve peace and stability in the region.
It reaffirmed that the PLO, which it described as the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian people, and the Palestinian Authority remain committed to peace, international legitimacy and a two-state solution based on the June 4, 1967 borders, as well as peaceful coexistence alongside Israel.
The ministry also said both institutions reject violence and terrorism and remain committed to international law as the basis for addressing the conflict.
The Palestinian government rejected the U.S. assertion that resorting to the United Nations, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court constitutes an action that undermines peace. It said seeking recourse through international institutions and international law is a legitimate right and a peaceful, legal means of protecting Palestinians and their rights.
The ministry argued that such measures should not be equated with policies of occupation, settlement expansion, annexation, forced displacement and settler violence, which it described as threats to the two-state solution and prospects for peace.
It also stressed that international recognition of the State of Palestine is not a substitute for negotiations, but rather an acknowledgment of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and an independent state, as well as support for a just peace based on the two-state solution and international law.
The Palestinian ministry expressed concern that the U.S. statement overlooked what it described as substantial reforms undertaken by the Palestinian Authority, including efforts to unify the social protection system based on socioeconomic needs and implement national reforms in the financial, administrative, educational and legal sectors.
It called on the U.S. administration to assess those reforms based on facts and professional reports rather than what it described as outdated political allegations that do not reflect measures taken by the Palestinian government.
The ministry said punitive measures and restrictions against Palestinian officials do not contribute to promoting peace or combating violence, arguing that they instead weaken the Palestinian partner committed to a political solution.
The Palestinian Authority further said that restrictions preventing the full participation of its delegation in UN meetings would infringe on its rights and undermine the role of the United Nations, while contradicting the obligations of the host country under the UN Headquarters Agreement.
It said exemptions limited to certain members of the Palestinian permanent observer mission were insufficient and called for all accredited members of the official Palestinian delegation to be allowed to participate in UN meetings.
The ministry urged the U.S. administration to reconsider the decision, end its policy of sanctions and restrictions, and enter into direct and serious Palestinian-American dialogue to address outstanding issues and restore bilateral relations on the basis of mutual respect.
It also called for support for the implementation of the New York Declaration, relevant UN resolutions and the peace plan, with the stated aim of ending the occupation and establishing an independent, sovereign State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The Palestinian Authority said it would continue to meet its national and international obligations, pursue its reform program, and use peaceful political, diplomatic and legal means to defend Palestinian rights, including the right to self-determination, freedom and stability.
Source:Wafa and Agencies
