Fatah official: American Congress is even worse than Israeli Knesset
Headline: “Muhaisen: Transferring the US embassy to Jerusalem constitutes an unprecedented act of aggression”
“Fatah Central Committee member [and Commissioner for Diaspora Branches] Dr. Jamal Muhaisen called to formulate a comprehensive plan and to act on the internal, Arab, Islamic, and international level against transferring the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Muhaisen said in an interview with Radio Mawtini today, Monday [Jan. 9, 2017]: ...‘The matter of transferring the American embassy to Jerusalem constitutes an act of aggression against the Palestinian people,’ and he noted that ‘Embassies are situated on the basis of an agreement between two states, but never in history has it happened that the embassy of a state was established on occupied territories of a third state.’
Muhaisen said that in his opinion the world will oppose this step, which contradicts [UN Security Council] Resolution 2334, and that the US will not obtain international support. He also noted that the position of the American Congress regarding the Palestinian issue (i.e., the US House of Representatives rejected the UN resolution condemning Israel on Jan. 5, 2017) is not new, and emphasized that the Palestinian leadership will act against this intention through internal, Arab, and international action.
Muhaisen said: ‘We regard the American Congress as if it is the Israeli Parliament.’
He added: ‘The standpoints of the Israeli Parliament may be more advanced than the standpoints of the American Congress because of the [Joint] Arab List [party].’ He also added: ‘It is clear that the new American administration will not regard the interests of the US, but rather the interests of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.’”
UN Security Council Resolution 2334 was passed on Dec. 23, 2016, by a vote of 14-0 with one abstention.
The resolution condemned the establishment of Israeli "settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem," saying it "has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace." It demanded that Israel “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities” in the area. The resolution further said “it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines” other than changes made through negotiations, in reference to the 1949-1967 ceasefire line between Israel and the neighboring Arab countries following Israel's 1948 War of Independence.
The resolution called “upon all States… to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.” It also called "to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as acts of provocation and destruction... and to clearly condemn all acts of terrorism," and noted the obligation of "the Palestinian Authority Security Forces to maintain effective operations aimed at confronting all those engaged in terror and dismantling terrorist capabilities."
The US abstained instead of vetoing the resolution, in a breach of longstanding US policy of not allowing the UN to force conditions on Israel in place of direct negotiations. This policy change came during US President Barack Obama’s final weeks in office.
Extra info: http://www.un.org/webcast/pdfs/SRES2334-2016.pdf
“Fatah Central Committee member [and Commissioner for Diaspora Branches] Dr. Jamal Muhaisen called to formulate a comprehensive plan and to act on the internal, Arab, Islamic, and international level against transferring the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Muhaisen said in an interview with Radio Mawtini today, Monday [Jan. 9, 2017]: ...‘The matter of transferring the American embassy to Jerusalem constitutes an act of aggression against the Palestinian people,’ and he noted that ‘Embassies are situated on the basis of an agreement between two states, but never in history has it happened that the embassy of a state was established on occupied territories of a third state.’
Muhaisen said that in his opinion the world will oppose this step, which contradicts [UN Security Council] Resolution 2334, and that the US will not obtain international support. He also noted that the position of the American Congress regarding the Palestinian issue (i.e., the US House of Representatives rejected the UN resolution condemning Israel on Jan. 5, 2017) is not new, and emphasized that the Palestinian leadership will act against this intention through internal, Arab, and international action.
Muhaisen said: ‘We regard the American Congress as if it is the Israeli Parliament.’
He added: ‘The standpoints of the Israeli Parliament may be more advanced than the standpoints of the American Congress because of the [Joint] Arab List [party].’ He also added: ‘It is clear that the new American administration will not regard the interests of the US, but rather the interests of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu.’”
UN Security Council Resolution 2334 was passed on Dec. 23, 2016, by a vote of 14-0 with one abstention.
The resolution condemned the establishment of Israeli "settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem," saying it "has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace." It demanded that Israel “immediately and completely cease all settlement activities” in the area. The resolution further said “it will not recognize any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines” other than changes made through negotiations, in reference to the 1949-1967 ceasefire line between Israel and the neighboring Arab countries following Israel's 1948 War of Independence.
The resolution called “upon all States… to distinguish, in their relevant dealings, between the territory of the State of Israel and the territories occupied since 1967.” It also called "to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as acts of provocation and destruction... and to clearly condemn all acts of terrorism," and noted the obligation of "the Palestinian Authority Security Forces to maintain effective operations aimed at confronting all those engaged in terror and dismantling terrorist capabilities."
The US abstained instead of vetoing the resolution, in a breach of longstanding US policy of not allowing the UN to force conditions on Israel in place of direct negotiations. This policy change came during US President Barack Obama’s final weeks in office.
Extra info: http://www.un.org/webcast/pdfs/SRES2334-2016.pdf
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