Top Palestinian official to Germany: Pressure Israel to make peace
Hamdallah also called on Germany to recognize the 'State of Palestine,' which he said would 'strengthen peace efforts and send a message that Palestine is a fact.'
By ADAM RASGONUpdated: APRIL 25, 2017 23:58Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah(photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah on Tuesday called on the international community to pressure Israel to make peace with the Palestinians.“I renew our call on Germany, the European Union, the United States, and the international community to pressure Israel to fulfill the requirements of achieving peace,” Hamdallah told a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel at his office in Ramallah.The two major requirements for achieving peace are “establishing two states and ending military occupation,” according to Hamdallah.Since the collapse of the last round of negotiations in 2014, the Palestinian leadership has consistently turned to the international community to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.Hamdallah also called on Germany to recognize the “State of Palestine,” which he said would “strengthen peace efforts and send a message that Palestine is a fact.”So far 136 states have recognized “Palestine,” but the world’s most powerful states and a majority of Europeans have yet to recognize a Palestinian state.German Chancellor Angela Merkel has stated several times in the past that Germany will not unilaterally recognize “Palestine.” Gabriel told the press conference that the two-state solution is the only “realistic” option to resolving the conflict.US President Donald Trump surprised the international community when he said he would be open to a onestate or two-state solution at a White House press conference in mid-February.PA President Mahmoud Abbas is scheduled to arrive in Washington to meet with Trump on May 3.A Palestinian delegation, including top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, PA General Intelligence Services Chief Majid Faraj, and Abbas economic adviser Muhammed Mustafa is meeting with Trump administration officials in preparation for the visit.
