Palestinian Central Council ratifies date of state declaration

The Palestinian Central Council ratified a plan concerning declaring the Palestinian country on 13th of September regardless of whether or not a final peace agreement is reached with Israel.

Despite of this, the concluding statement of the meeting did not limit the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat with this date - strictly - and the statement is seen as adding pressure on Israel to move forward in the negotiations on the Palestinian track.

The council asked the international community to support the Palestinian people in regaining control of their country and obliging Israel to live up to the signed agreement with the Palestinians topped by the third stage redeployment from the West Bank and releasing the detainees and agreeing to the refugees' right of return.