PA daily on Palestinian rejection of normalization and economic partnerships with Israelis
Headline: “A ‘Masarat’ workshop warns of the ‘economic peace’ and ‘Kerry plan’ ramifications”
“At the end of a workshop on the ‘economic peace’ and the [US Secretary of State John] ‘Kerry plan,’ the Chairman of the National Association of Unaffiliated Persons, Munib Al-Masri said that he has renounced the Breaking the Impasse Initiative and said: ‘This initiative does not represent me.’
During a workshop held by the ‘Masarat’ Center in [the city of] El-Bireh, Al-Masri stated that after many meetings, the Israeli businesspeople refused to include in the Initiative’s joint statement; the end to the occupation, stopping the settlement, the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state on the lands occupied in 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital, the right of return of the refugees, and the remainder of the legitimate Palestinian rights.
Al-Masri made it clear that during the press conference announcing the initiative at the Davos Forum he had repeatedly emphasized his adherence to these rights. He noted that he refuses to continue [to participate] in any initiative that is not based on an acknowledgment of the Palestinian people’s rights, and that he opposes all forms of normalization. Likewise, he stated that he intends to publish a statement expressing this position.
The many opinions expressed in the workshop were overshadowed by sharp criticism of the initiative which had been launched by Israeli and Palestinian businesspeople during the Davos World Economic Forum held in Jordan last May…
The workshop participants warned of the ramifications of the ‘economic peace’ and ‘Kerry plan’ on the future of the Palestinian cause and of what would follow: Attempts at normalization and economic partnerships with Israelis.”
Note: Munib Al-Masri is a member of the PA Parliament. A well-known businessman from Nablus, he had been involved in contacts with Israeli businessmen in unsuccessful attempts to foster Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation.
“At the end of a workshop on the ‘economic peace’ and the [US Secretary of State John] ‘Kerry plan,’ the Chairman of the National Association of Unaffiliated Persons, Munib Al-Masri said that he has renounced the Breaking the Impasse Initiative and said: ‘This initiative does not represent me.’
During a workshop held by the ‘Masarat’ Center in [the city of] El-Bireh, Al-Masri stated that after many meetings, the Israeli businesspeople refused to include in the Initiative’s joint statement; the end to the occupation, stopping the settlement, the Palestinian people’s right to establish an independent state on the lands occupied in 1967 with Jerusalem as its capital, the right of return of the refugees, and the remainder of the legitimate Palestinian rights.
Al-Masri made it clear that during the press conference announcing the initiative at the Davos Forum he had repeatedly emphasized his adherence to these rights. He noted that he refuses to continue [to participate] in any initiative that is not based on an acknowledgment of the Palestinian people’s rights, and that he opposes all forms of normalization. Likewise, he stated that he intends to publish a statement expressing this position.
The many opinions expressed in the workshop were overshadowed by sharp criticism of the initiative which had been launched by Israeli and Palestinian businesspeople during the Davos World Economic Forum held in Jordan last May…
The workshop participants warned of the ramifications of the ‘economic peace’ and ‘Kerry plan’ on the future of the Palestinian cause and of what would follow: Attempts at normalization and economic partnerships with Israelis.”
Note: Munib Al-Masri is a member of the PA Parliament. A well-known businessman from Nablus, he had been involved in contacts with Israeli businessmen in unsuccessful attempts to foster Israeli-Palestinian reconciliation.