PA Welcomes EU Strong Stance on Two-State Solution

Rammalh, March 28, 2009 (Pal Telegraph) – The Palestinian Presidency welcomed on Saturday the EU stance not to upgrade ties with Israel if Israel abandoned the two-state solution.

Nabil Abu Rudeina, the Palestinian Presidency spokesman, said that linking the development of EU-Israeli trade and political ties to the next Israeli government commitment to the two-state solution could push the peace process forward.

Abu Rdeina also praised the EU efforts in supporting the Palestinian peoples rights.

The European Union on Friday urged the Israeli Prime Minister-designate Netanyahu to accept the two-state solution, as the goal of the Middle East peace process.

German Foreign Minister Frank Steinmeier said: "We Europeans are insisting that whatever the weighting is in the two governments (Israeli and Palestinian), the creation of a two-state solution must stand first and foremost."

On his turn, Luxembourg Foreign Minsiter Asselborn, said a long-mooted upgrading of EU-Israeli trade and political ties depended on Israel achieving a peace deal with the Palestinians.

EU officials, after the Israeli latest offensive on Gaza – in which more than 1,300 Palestinians were killed, most of whom were children and women, and more than 5,000 wounded. Eu officials urged Israel to re-open border crossings into the Gaza Strip, asserting that reconstruction without lifting the blockade is useless.

Netanyahu, who was recommended by the majority of the parties for the premiership, plans to present his new coalition government for parliamentary approval next week.

The current two-state-solution would give Palestinians a (viable) state on less than 20% of historical Palestine. Many Palestinian factions reject this solution calling for restoration of all Palestine.

Ibrahim Abu Sobeih, PT Reporter in Gaza