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Barak (L) with Fayyad
Photo: Noam Moskowitz
Staying in Jerusalem? Abu-Tir
Photo: Noam Moskowitz

Fayyad to Barak: Cease all unilateral steps in Jerusalem

Palestinian PM says presented defense minister with list of demands, including ending 'settlement' construction in capital, overturning decision to expel Palestinian lawmakers

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said that during his meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday he demanded that Israel cease all unilateral steps in Jerusalem, particularly the construction in east Jerusalem and expulsion of Palestinian parliamentarians who reside in it.

 

Fayyad also demanded that Israel overturn its decision to expel Palestinian parliamentarians from the capital.

 

Mohammad Abu–Tir, the senior-most figure who was expelled, was recently arrested and indicted for violating the expulsion order and residing in Israel illegally. The hamas man was released from an Israeli prison on May 20 after serving a four-year sentence.

 

Ynet reported Sunday that negotiations conducted over the past few days have led to a possible compromise according to which the indictment against Abu-Tir would be dropped if he agrees to revoke his membership in Hamas and the Palestinian parliament and cease his activities against Israel. In this case Abu-Tir would also get his citizenship back.

 

Fayyad also addressed the need to completely lift the siege off Gaza and uphold the 2005 crossings' agreement, including the opening of a "safe crossing" between Gaza and the West Bank, saying that only such steps would prove Israel's earnestness in negotiations.

 

The Palestinian PM called on Israel to open all of the crossings to ease the flow of goods in and out of Gaza. He said the crossings should be supervised by the European Union and the Palestinian Authority.

 

"Israel must cease all its unilateral measures and violations in Jerusalem. It must end settlement construction of any kind, stop the demolition of (Palestinian) homes, overturn the decision to expel Palestinian parliament members and refrain from raiding the West Bank," said Fayyad.

 

During his meeting with the Israeli defense minister, Fayyad also discussed the Palestinian prisoners. "We made it clear that they must be released, particularly those who were arrested before the Oslo (agreement). We also demanded that all of the barriers in the West Bank be removed," he said.

 

Fayyad also demanded that Israel lift its restrictions on Palestinian projects in area C, which is under full Israeli control.

 

"Such steps," said Fayyad, "would show that (Israel) is willing to work in earnest to end the occupation and reach a peace agreement based on international decisions."

 

Defense Minister Barak's office said the meeting focused on the Gaza crossings and joint Israel-PA projects.

 

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פרסום ראשון: 07.05.10, 21:05
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