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Follow Us on TwitterErekat criticizes Guatemalan presidential visit to occupied East Jerusalem 13Dec12 December 13, 2013
Palestine News Network - 12 December 2013
PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Saeb Erekat heavily criticized the recent visit of the Guatemalan President, Perez Molina, to occupied East Jerusalem in coordination with Israeli occupation authorities and expressed strong dissatisfaction with the response given by the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry regarding complaints made by the State of Palestine on the issue, PLO’s Negotiations Affairs Department said in a press release Wednesday.
“We will not accept any attempt to legitimize Israel’s occupation policies, particularly in East Jerusalem. The visit of the President of Guatemala to the occupied Palestinian capital in coordination with the Israeli foreign ministry is unacceptable and contradicts Guatemala’s obligations according to the Geneva Conventions, the Rome Statue and the ICJ opinion on the Wall, as well as Security Council resolutions 476 and 478, among others” said Erekat.
“What is even more worrying is the statement delivered by the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry which attempted to justify the visit. The statement supported a narrative far removed from reality and demonstrated severe misconceptions that have little to do with international law. Guatemala should know better, especially given the fact that the vast majority of Latin America has a clear position regarding Palestine, firmly grounded in international law and UN resolutions.”
Erekat concluded, “Palestine has made a formal complaint to Guatemala on the matter. We consider this visit, along with the statement issued by the Foreign Ministry, tantamount to accepting the Israeli annexation of occupied East Jerusalem. We will take all necessary steps within the international arena and in conjunction with our partners in Latin America, the Non Aligned Movement, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League, in order to make it clear that East Jerusalem is a red line for billions of people worldwide.”
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