RAMALLAH, Tuesday, May 24, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas briefed the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, today on the latest political developments in Palestine.

During their meeting at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah, President Abbas outlined the ongoing Israeli violations against the Palestinian people and Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. He warned of Israel’s continued attempts to change the historical status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, as well as the ongoing killing of Palestinians and the expansion of illegal colonial settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

He also drew attention to Israeli measures in Jerusalem, including home demolitions, forced displacement of Palestinian families, and unilateral actions that he said amount to apartheid and racial discrimination.

President Abbas reaffirmed Palestine’s commitment to international law and UN resolutions and emphasized the need to create a political horizon that leads to ending the Israeli occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

He stressed the Palestinian leadership’s ongoing efforts to build strong state institutions based on the rule of law, strengthen cooperation between the government, civil society, and the private sector, and ensure the active participation of women and youth.

President Abbas expressed appreciation for the European Parliament, the European Union, and EU member states for their role in supporting peace efforts and helping build Palestinian institutions. He reiterated Palestine’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations and developing partnership agreements with Europe.

For her part, Metsola reaffirmed the EU’s support for the two-state solution based on UN resolutions and international law, and reiterated the EU’s opposition to settlement construction. She described the meeting as “good” and “constructive,” adding in a tweet:“Achieving peace in the Middle East remains a key priority for the EU and the international community. The European Parliament will keep doing all we can to reinvigorate the peace process.”