PM authorizes entry of 300 Palestinians from Libya to PA

Netanyahu grants Mahmoud Abbas request to allow Palestinians in Libya to enter Palestinian Authority. Meanwhile British PM says Arab leaders were using Israel-Palestine conflict to as distraction from their own oppressive regimes

Omri Efraim|Published: 02.23.11 , 21:20

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that he is granting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's request to allow 300 Palestinian refugees from Libya enter the Palestinian Authority.

Netanyahu, who made the statement at the end of a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, that the Palestinians are in danger. Earlier on Wednesday, Italy estimated that some 300,000 Libyans will try to immigrate to Europe following riots in the North African country.

During a press conference with his Polish counterpart, Netanyahu addressed unrest in the Middle East and said no one knows whether the Arab states will head towards democracy or opt for a different future. We can hope for the best but must prepare for any scenario, he said.

Tusk said that Poland will do everything to maintain liberty and democracy despite recent events and added that Israel can trust Poland which he said was one of the few nations which understand Israel.

Netanyahu and Tusk (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney addressed recent developments in the Middle East and their effect on Israel stressing the US's unshakable commitment to Israel. He noted that the US is considering imposing sanctions against Libya together with members of the Security Council which would force Muammar Gaddafi to end the bloodshed.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister David Cameron told students in Qatar that some Middle Eastern rulers were using the Israel-Palestine conflict as a distraction from their own oppressive regimes.

“In too many countries in the Middle East, some rulers say to their people ‘be angry about that, don’t be angry about the fact that you live in a non-open society,’” Cameron said.

Prior to his visit in Qatar, Cameron visited Kuwait and Egypt where he met with the country's new rulers. He is pushing the European Union to tie its aid program to commitments on greater democracy.