Erekat Praises HH the Emir's Due Keenness to Support Palestinian Cause

Doha , March 19 (QNA) - Member of the Palestine Liberation Organization(PLO) Executive Committee Dr.Saeb Erekat praised Monday HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa's due keenness to support the Palestinian issue. Erekat added that HH the Emir is "always looking to know the latest developments of the Palestinian issue in order to discuss different means of supporting it, the matter which the Palestinian President Abbas always touches (when he speaks with HH the Emir)." Speaking exclusively to Qatar News Agency(QNA) after a meeting with HH the Emir of Qatar here today, Erekat said that he was "honored" to meet HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. During their meeting here today, Erekat handed HH the Emir, a written message from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. The message covered the latest developments of the Palestinian issue, particularly in terms of the peace process and the Palestinian reconciliation. Abbas stressed, in his message, his commitment to the Doha Declaration as well as stressing his keenness to move swiftly past any challenges. Erekat said that he conveyed Abbas' thanks to HH the Emir for supporting the Palestinian cause. Erekat described the Arab spring as the most significant regional event in the last millennium. The Palestinian official said he will launch a book on Tuesday in the Qatari Diplomatic Institute, titled "Change in the Arab World and its Effect on the Peace Process". Erekat further said that the Arab citizen didn't take to the street to get a better job or life opportunity, but rather to reclaim his humanity. The Arab citizen realized he was stripped of his legitimacy after he started to see through the eyes of his ruler and listen through his ears, so he took to the street to demand a ruler that supervises authority but doesn't own it, Erekat explained. Erekat criticized those who claim Arabs aren't ready for democracy and described them as "racist". He added that democracy is an intellectual and cultural lifestyle, and its results should be respected no matter what. The U.S. should stop treating Israel as an above-the-law state if it really wants to achieve regional democracy, Erekat said. Touching on Israel's latest aggression on Gaza strip, Erekat told QNA that the Palestinian Authority (PA) sent messages to all of Security Council Members , the United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Organization in Geneva. Erekat said that Abbas personally discussed the developments with all the brothers in Egypt and Hamas and Jihad movements. Erekat accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of using Gaza as a bait to bring Iran into war. He added that as a result, Abbas worked on calming down the situation and considered it an overriding interest. He said that Israeli had another goal in mind, which is separating Gaza from the West Bank in order to make it impossible to have a Palestinian state. Regarding the Palestinian reconciliation deal, Erekat said that the deal was in Palestine's interest. He added that no part would support Palestine if the PA and Hamas do not go through with the deal. Asked why the deal is taking so long to conclude, Erekat said that the past years have created "interests" out of the disagreement between Palestinian factions. However Erekat stressed that it was not of the PA's interest to delay the deal any further. Erekat also stressed that both Khalid Meshaal and Abbas were "sincere" in their actions, particularly as the reconciliation became fundamental in facing Israel, Erekat added. Dr. Erekat hailed the Jordanian efforts to push forward the peace process by staging a series of exploratory talks between the Palestinian and Israeli sides in Amman, but criticized Israel for continuing the settlement policy and imposing preconditions. ''Israel is responsible for stalling the peace process and taking it off track, Erekat said, adding that his side is ready to resume talks once Israel stops the settlement activities, including Jerusalem, and accept a two-state solution based on 1967 borders. "These aren't Palestinian conditions, but rather Israeli commitments. We asked the Quartet several times to tell the world what happened in the recent talks, and to blame the Israeli side for undermining the peace process," Erekat told QNA. "Our first and foremost choice is to stand firm on our land, build our institutions, and strengthen our steadfastness and presence on the Palestinian territories," the Palestinian official added. Erekat said that the Palestinian people won't be undermined by Israel's negotiation policy of time consuming, break-ins, assassinations and storming, and won't let these practices limit the rights the international law granted Palestinians. The Palestinian senior negotiator stressed that peace can't be begged, noting that 95% of Israel's negotiations are done away from the negotiation table, with the use of repression, state terrorism and blockade. As a presidential vote draws closer, Erekat reaffirmed that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas won't seek a re-election. "(Abbas) wants to lay a new culture in the Arab world, where a ruler supervises power and doesn't cling to it or seek it. It's a culture that should be respected, and Fatah movement knows how to choose its presidential candidate," said Erekat. (QNA)