Dr. Erakat on U.S. House Resolution 1765

Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erakat, deeply regrets the resolution passed by the United States House of Representatives opposing international efforts at resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. 

“We have devoted ourselves to negotiations for nearly two decades and today we are trapped in a framework that thus far has not yet lifted the occupation. Unlike the Israeli government, which is comfortable with the status quo of occupation and continued colonization, the Palestinian people must seek their freedom through any peaceful channel available to us.” 

“The U.S. Congress has placed one more obstacle towards achieving peace between Palestine and Israel. Recognizing the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders is a sovereign, unilateral decision of individual states. While the United States can choose to withhold recognition of our state, it cannot obstruct other countries from exercising this sovereign right.”

“Israel has done nothing but sabotage the efforts of the Obama administration to restart meaningful negotiations by refusing to freeze settlement expansion and negotiate based on clear terms of reference. Through the passage of this resolution, the US Congress is contradicting the policy of the American government to create a Palestinian state by hindering the ability of the Palestinians to navigate around the Israeli government’s obstructionist policies.” 

Chief Palestinian Negotiator concluded by calling on the international community to “save the two-state solution by recognizing the Palestinian State in the 1967 borders.” He added that “supporting international law and Palestinian national rights only strengthens the prospect of a negotiated settlement.”