PLO official: Palestinian “resistance” legal in international law; Israel is the “hangman”
Headline: “[Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Front and PLO Executive Committee member] Dr. Wasel Abu Yusuf: The Quartet’s report favors the occupation government that perpetrates calamities and aggression”
“Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Front and PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Wasel Abu Yusuf emphasized that the Quartet (i.e., Middle East Quartet: US, EU, Russia, and UN) that was assembled by the UN still favors the Israeli occupation government, that perpetrates calamities and aggression in Jerusalem and the West Bank…
Abu Yusuf added in an interview with the Al-Quds [TV] station (i.e. British Arab TV station that deals with the Palestinian cause) that the previous negotiations with the occupation that took place for many long years were harmful and benefitted the occupation at the expense of our people and its national rights. Therefore, we emphasized that we would not resume negotiations, especially in light of the fact that the occupation government continues to build settlements and the racist separation fence, and to perpetrate summary executions and daily arrests of our people. We believe that the Quartet is attempting to return the Palestinian side to the negotiation table so that the occupation will be able to complete its schemes in the shadow of the negotiations. Likewise, it wants the negotiations to remain the source of authority, and primarily the source of authority is the US, and not the international institutions, and for this reason we oppose harming the Palestinian national project. Our people has made significant sacrifices, including the Martyrs (Shahids), injured, and prisoners, and we will not agree to compare the victim to the hangman (Palestinian interpretation of the Quartet’s report issued July 1, 2016 –Ed.), as our people is carrying out resistance in order to recover its rights, and resistance is anchored in the international conventions for peoples whose land is occupied.”
Quartet report, July 1, 2016 – A report in which the Quartet (US, EU, Russia, and UN) reiterated its position that “a negotiated two-state outcome is the only way to achieve an enduring peace that meets Israeli security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, ends the occupation that began in 1967, and resolves all permanent status issues.” The Quartet expressed its concern "that continuing on the current course will make this prospect increasingly remote," and listed – in this order - the three "trends" it believes are causing the failure of the peace process:
1. Palestinian violence, terror attacks against Israeli civilians, and incitement to violence
2. Israeli settlement and denial of Palestinian development
3. Hamas arms build-up and military activity, the PA’s lack of control of the Gaza Strip, and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip
The Quartet also gave a number of recommendations.
The terms "all means”, "all means of resistance," “all forms,” are used by PA leaders to include using all types of violence, including deadly terror against Israeli civilians such as stabbings and shootings, as well as throwing rocks and Molotov Cocktails.
“Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Front and PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Wasel Abu Yusuf emphasized that the Quartet (i.e., Middle East Quartet: US, EU, Russia, and UN) that was assembled by the UN still favors the Israeli occupation government, that perpetrates calamities and aggression in Jerusalem and the West Bank…
Abu Yusuf added in an interview with the Al-Quds [TV] station (i.e. British Arab TV station that deals with the Palestinian cause) that the previous negotiations with the occupation that took place for many long years were harmful and benefitted the occupation at the expense of our people and its national rights. Therefore, we emphasized that we would not resume negotiations, especially in light of the fact that the occupation government continues to build settlements and the racist separation fence, and to perpetrate summary executions and daily arrests of our people. We believe that the Quartet is attempting to return the Palestinian side to the negotiation table so that the occupation will be able to complete its schemes in the shadow of the negotiations. Likewise, it wants the negotiations to remain the source of authority, and primarily the source of authority is the US, and not the international institutions, and for this reason we oppose harming the Palestinian national project. Our people has made significant sacrifices, including the Martyrs (Shahids), injured, and prisoners, and we will not agree to compare the victim to the hangman (Palestinian interpretation of the Quartet’s report issued July 1, 2016 –Ed.), as our people is carrying out resistance in order to recover its rights, and resistance is anchored in the international conventions for peoples whose land is occupied.”
Quartet report, July 1, 2016 – A report in which the Quartet (US, EU, Russia, and UN) reiterated its position that “a negotiated two-state outcome is the only way to achieve an enduring peace that meets Israeli security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, ends the occupation that began in 1967, and resolves all permanent status issues.” The Quartet expressed its concern "that continuing on the current course will make this prospect increasingly remote," and listed – in this order - the three "trends" it believes are causing the failure of the peace process:
1. Palestinian violence, terror attacks against Israeli civilians, and incitement to violence
2. Israeli settlement and denial of Palestinian development
3. Hamas arms build-up and military activity, the PA’s lack of control of the Gaza Strip, and the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip
The Quartet also gave a number of recommendations.
The terms "all means”, "all means of resistance," “all forms,” are used by PA leaders to include using all types of violence, including deadly terror against Israeli civilians such as stabbings and shootings, as well as throwing rocks and Molotov Cocktails.