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PRESS STATEMENT Palestinian Authority Cabinet Meeting, 31 May 2010
On the 43rd Anniversary of Israeli Occupation, the Palestinian Cabinet Called on the International Community to Condemn the Israeli Criminal Attack on the Freedom Flotilla and to Immediately Lift the Siege on the Gaza Strip The Cabinet approved the establishment of the ’Karama National Employment Fund’ and Approves the Draft Law of Investment Promotion
In its weekly meeting in Ramallah, chaired by PM Salam Fayyad, the Palestinian cabinet strongly condemned the Israeli crime against international supporters on board of the Freedom Flotilla, which “reveals, once again, Israeli disregard to the lives of innocent civilians, and its disrespect to international law, norms and resolutions. It also reveals the dire need to put an end to Israeli aggressive policy, by an unconditional and unlimited lifting of the siege on our people, mainly in Gaza. The Palestinian government calls on the international community to condemn this crime, and reiterates it is time to implement the repeated international calls for lifting the siege, including the international decision at the Sharm El Sheikh Conference for the Reconstruction of Gaza and the European Union Declaration last December and other international stands, calling for practical steps that commit Israel to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip and respect the unity of the Palestinian territories. The Cabinet issued instructions to the Foreign Ministry for immediate and enhanced diplomatic contacts with the diplomatic Corp at the PA and on all levels, with Arab, Islamic, NAM and UN organizations. , including the UN Security Council, to condemn this crime and effectively act to guarantee a lift of the siege on the Gaza Strip. The government also considered the proper Palestinian response to this crime to be in speeding an end to the internal division, and called on all parties, especially Hamas movement, to positively respond to the efforts to achieve national reconciliation and reunite the homeland and unify the Palestinian efforts against the Israeli occupation policies of siege and settlements, and mobilize the energy of our people towards ending the occupation and building the homeland and its institutions. The government expressed its appreciation and gratitude to all members of the solidarity movement with Palestine and offered its warm condolences to the families of the victims, and to the Palestinian people as whole and all the freedom supporters in the world and wished the injured a speedy recovery. And upon President Abbas’s directions, the government took all appropriate measures for three days of morning and putting flags at half mast at official buildings. The 43rd Commemoration of Israeli occupation With the nearing of commemorating 43 years to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, the cabinet called on all Palestinians in the homeland and the Diaspora for further solidarity, focused efforts and determination to continue the peaceful resistance and struggle to achieve the national objective of ending the occupation and establishing the independent Palestinian State with east Jerusalem as its capital, despite the escalated Israeli aggressive and racist policies targeting the land and the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, and especially in Jerusalem. The cabinet stressed that while our people commemorate 43 years of Israeli occupation, it condemns Israeli persistance on legislating its prolonged occupation and escalating its practices against our people, most recently were the planned setting of fire of Palestinian property, executed by settlers, in Nahalin, Sair, Tal Rumeida and Assira al Qabaliya, Beit Iksa, Iraq Burin, Kufur Labad and mara3i al aghwar villages. This in addition to continued Israeli army raids on the Gaza Strip and the oppression of peaceful anti wall protests Racist Israeli Legislations The Palestinian Cabinet condemned the series of racist laws ratified by the Israeli Kenesset recently, which aim at imposing further restrictions on Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. The cabinet stressed that the Israeli Kenesset consent to discussing such laws is in itself a violation of all democratic values and legislating oppressive practices, disregarding humanitarian international law and basic human rights and is a clear violation to the Geneva 4th Convention. The cabinet praised the WHO General Assembly decision to form a fact-finding mission to investigate the health situation of sick prisoners in Israeli prisons. And on the occasion of the Child International Day, (tomorrow) the cabinet called for the release of 300 minor prisoners in Israeli prisons, and on Israeli to abide to international law principles and the Child Protection Act in stopping all violations towards our children prisoners. The cabinet approved the formation of the Karama National Fund for Employment (Dignity Fund), to be finally ratified in the next session. The cabinet considered the decision an official, national and moral responsibility and means to counter the challenge of implementing the Palestinian law that prohibits settlement produce, considers them illegal products, banned from usage and subject to fines upon handling, as well as prohibiting providing services or products to settlements. The cabinet stressed its full commitment to seek job opportunities for workers who would stop working in settlements through an incentive plan, projects and incentives to private sector to absorb the workers and provide training and rehabilitation opportunities. The cabinet also approved the Investment Promotion Law and presented it to the President for ratification, with the aim of presenting further incentives to encourage investments in various economic sectors and implementing the partnership with private sector and creating the proper atmosphere for developing the Palestinian economy and better restructuring of investment incentives. Especially by medium and small sized enterprises as well as contribute to supporting the steadfastness of the people.
http://www.palestinecabinet.gov.ps/default.aspx?Lang=en
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