Abbas calls for giving Hamas-led government a chance
Palestine-European Union, Politics, 5/16/2006

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas today said that the new Hamas-led Palestinian government must be given a chance to adapt to the basic requirements of the international community.

Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this afternoon, Abbas also indirectly criticized the EU for cutting off aid to the Palestinians. "Cutting aid to the Palestinian Authority will only exacerbate the deteriorating economic and social situation.'' he warned.

Abbas welcomed the recent decision by the so-called Quartet (EU, Russia, the UN and the US) to provide assistance to the Palestinian people through a new mechanism which will be developed under EU leadership.

He called on Israel to immediately release million of dollars of Palestinian tax and customs revenue.

"The EU can play a leading role here and I ask your assistance," said Abbas addressing the representatives of the people of Europe "We seek and are awaiting for Europe to play a leading role in the area." Abbas said he was in constant and continued dialogue with the Hamas-led PA that will lead to a national dialogue in a few days time.

He spoke of the "historical injustice inflicted on the Palestinian people" by the occupation of their homeland and the implantation of Israel in the region with the support of the West.

Abbas noted that the severest blow to the peace process was the result of Israeli rejection of the logic of partnership and its insistence on practicing destructive policies.

He cited the construction of Jewish settlements, the apartheid wall confiscation of Palestinian land, and continued arrests and seizures.

Abbas charged Israel with systematically destroying the basic Palestinian infrastructures "which your countries contributed in developing." He reminded the European legislators that the Palestinian people on Monday commemorated the Nakba an historical injustice when millions of Palestinians were made refugees and their homeland occupied by the Zionist Jews.

EP President Josep Borrell said Abbas' words will encourage us to spend more time in thinking about the problems of the Middle East.

Previous Stories:
  EU official said aid to Palestinian to about be set up   (5/8/2006)
  EU says it is not the major finance source for Palestinians   (4/22/2006)
  EU rules out financial aid to Hamas-led PA   (4/18/2006)

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