National unity the ‘sole choice’ for Palestinians to face ‘deal of the century’

Palestinian speakers at a political discussion panel held to commemorate Palestinian Prisoners’ Day have concluded that Palestinians have to be united in order to face the US “deal of the century”.

Palestinians commemorate Prisoners’ Day on 17 April every year. The panel was held by the Palestinian Club in Britain, in cooperation with the EU-Pal Club, and hosted speakers Hafez Al-Karmi, head of the Palestinian Club in Britain Kamel Hawwash, and Palestinian National Council (PNC) member Ali Al-Saleh, Safa news agency reported.

Speaking at the event, Al-Karmi hailed Palestinians in Jerusalem who have undermined several Israeli “judaisation” programmes in the Holy City, including the electronic gates placed at the entrance to Al-Aqsa Mosque and more recently attempts to change Bab Al-Rahma gate.

He also noted that Palestinians in the occupied West Bank cannot carry out the same mission, because they are being fought by both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Israeli occupation.

Meanwhile, Al-Saleh, who is head of the Palestinian community in London, also condemned the oppression being practiced against the Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Commenting on the “deal of the century”, Al-Saleh said that the details revealed thus far were no more than leaks used as “test balloons” by the US to see how far they are acceptable to the international community. He added that the PA rejects the deal, and at the same time it refuses to sit with the current US administration because it is taking the side of Israel.

READ: Deal of the century to be born dead’, says PA PM

For his part, Hawwash called on the EU to recognise Palestine as a state, as well as to recognise the Two-States Solution. He also called for the PA to replace the US with the EU and send a representative at ambassador level to the EU member states in order to get these states involved in the Palestinian issue.

To face the “deal of the century,” Al-Karmi said that the PA has to translate its positions – which object Israel’s measures – into actions on the ground. He also condemned the lack of effective Arab involvement in the issue of Palestine and called for them to support the resistance of Palestinians in Jerusalem and support their existence.

However, Al-Saleh said that the Arab countries have “died” and stressed that there is no hope for their assistance.

Meanwhile, Zaher Al-Birawi, the head of the EU-Pal Club who moderated the panel, downplayed the claims by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he has “good relations” with most Arab and Muslim countries, pointing to the stances of some of these countries in support for Palestine.

READ: Palestine leadership rejects ‘deal of the century’,says Erekat