Dr. Erekat strongly condemns Israel’s continuing colonization projects

Following the Palestinian delegation meeting with US Secretary Rice in Washington DC to discuss the status of the permanent status negotiations with Israel, Chief Palestinian Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat, strongly condemned Israel’s continuing settlement activities on occupied Palestinian land.

On July 14th, the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post reported the approval by the Israeli Ministry of Industry of plans to construct 27 new factories in the settlement of Ariel; a move that would effectively triple the size of the industrial area in this settlement. Dr. Erekat denounced these plans calling them''... illegal [Israeli] measures meant to consolidate the settlement project, that can only result in the vanishing of the two-state solution.’’

At the same time, Israeli colonization of occupied East Jerusalem continues unabated. On July 14th, the Israeli Supreme Court issued a ruling ordering the expulsion of Al-Kurd family in Sheikh Jarrah. The ruling also jeopardizes 27 additional Palestinian-owned homes nearby which house over 500 people. These homes are being targeted to make room for 250 new housing units for Israeli settlers in the heart of occupied East Jerusalem.

Dr. Erekat called upon the international community to urgently intervene and actively end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land. He also called on the Israeli government to seize the opportunity to accept the Arab Peace Initiative. ''It would behoove Israel to hasten toward a two-state solution; the Arab Peace Initiative is offering to restore normal relations with Israel in exchange for ending its 41 years of occupation of Arab lands,’’ Dr. Erekat concluded.