Saturday 16 July 2011

Haneyya: Palestinians will not be handed state 'on a silver plate'

[ 16/07/2011 - 07:57 AM ]
GAZA, (PIC)-- Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haneyya said he does not believe the world would hand the Palestinians a state “on a silver plate” at a time when many nations have been conspiring with Israel, while the United Nations has recently retracted its positions and covered up Israel's crimes.

Prime Minister Haneyya told Palestine's Safa news agency that nothing practical would spur from steps in September, when Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas plans on unilaterally going to the UN to seek statehood. Haneyya said that the Palestinians' problem has nothing to do with UN resolutions.

“Today a resolution and tomorrow a state? I don't think so,” Haneyya exclaimed, clarifying that the UN and Security Council have already resolved on giving the Palestinians the right to establish a state, but such decisions have not been applied on the ground.

In the interview, Haneyya proposed drafting a Palestinian strategy based primarily on enhancing Palestinian unity and steadfastness and holding fast to national rights and eliciting a state from the Israeli occupier.

Haneyya also spoke about developments in the Palestinian reconciliation. He asserted that what is required is that the unity deal is implemented practically as had been agreed upon.

“Adhering to a specific person for the prime ministry is outside of the national agreement, and it's one of the main obstacles in implementing the deal,” Haneyya said, referring to Abbas's unwavering nomination of Salam Fayyad as prime minister of the transition government.

The Palestinian premier also addressed UNESCO's declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
“This is unacceptable and condemnable. We have contacted UNESCO, and they said their position is as it is and would not change. We will examine that in the days to come,” Haneyya said.

He added that Jerusalem would remain Arab and Islamic, reiterating that he contacted high-profile officials in the UN who assured that their position regarding Jerusalem has not changed and that what was disseminated in the media was inaccurate.

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