Palestinian Prime Minister has urged the United Kingdom to recognize an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East al-Quds as its capital and demanded London support its full membership in the United Nations.
During a meeting with visiting British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday, Mohammad Shtayyeh also called on the UK to provide aid to Palestinian institutions.
“Tomorrow will be too late in case no action is taken today,” Shtayyeh said pointing out to deteriorating status quo and demographics in the occupied territories.
“The United Kingdom bears a moral and historical responsibility towards the Palestinian people; it must be a positive player in realizing the rights of the Palestinian people and finding a political solution that meets their aspirations.”
The Palestinian prime minister highlighted that the so-called two-state initiative is fading and being violated systematically on a daily basis, and it has become fairly difficult to implement it.
He called on the United Kingdom to engage seriously and at the highest political levels in order to put an end to the Israeli occupation and establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
“We call for a reconsideration of British policies and for its discourse to be consistent with its belief in the international law,” Shtayyeh underlined.
He also called on the United Kingdom to urge Israel to abide by signed agreements, allow elections to be held in all Palestinian territories, including al-Quds, and put pressure on the Tel Aviv regime to release all the withheld bodies of Palestinians killed at the hands of its forces.
The Palestinian prime minister also called for the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions, especially Resolution 2334, and the cessation of all Israeli settlement expansion activities across the occupied Palestinian territories, including in East al-Quds.
For his part, Cleverly affirmed his country’s commitment to the so-called two-state solution and continued support for the growth of Palestinian institutions.