Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Mohammed Mustafa met today with the British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Cameron in Ramallah, where they discussed the importance of stepping up further humanitarian relief efforts in the Gaza Strip.
They also discussed the need to stop the escalation and attacks carried out by the occupation’s army and colonists, including the ongoing incursions into Palestinian territories.
The two officials further tackled the Palestinian government’s efforts for comprehensive institutional reform.
The Prime Minister stressed that the relief and humanitarian efforts and the distribution of aid in the Gaza Strip will remain confined and limited without an immediate ceasefire and the opening of all crossings with the Strip, stating that: “Alongside the relief efforts we seek to restore and provide basic services to our people in the Gaza Strip, and we will continue to strengthen work with international institutions and partners, particularly the United Nations, to alleviate their suffering.”
He also called for effective international action to stop the aggression of the occupation’s army and colonists in the occupied West Bank and the continued settlement expansion in violation of international law, which he slammed as an obstacle to peace and the achievement of the two-state solution.
The Prime Minister reviewed the difficult financial situation as a result of Israel’s illegal deductions and withholding of the Palestinian clearance funds which rendered the government unable to fulfill its obligations, calling on Britain and the international community to pressure Israel to stop these actions and release the withheld PA funds.
The prime Minister briefed Cameron on the government’s plans for comprehensive institutional reform of all sectors, including empowering the judiciary and strengthening its independence, combating corruption, rationalizing expenditures and upgrading services provided to citizens.
Regarding Palestine’s bid for full membership at the United Nations, Mustafa said: “We are continuing our efforts to achieve full membership at the United Nations and working on mutual bilateral recognition with the world’s countries on the path to achieving our goals of getting rid of the occupation and establishing a Palestinian state.”
source: WAFA
