By NNN-KUNA,
Cairo : The Council of the League of Arab States at the level of foreign ministers, at the end of its emergency meeting Wednesday night, welcomed Egypt’s declaration to continue its efforts to achieve a comprehensive Palestinian reconciliation.
The Council called, in its final communique, on all Palestinian factions to work hard to restore Palestinian unity and start national reconciliation efforts and seriously and sincerely participate in the Palestinian national dialogue as soon as possible.
It also asserted respect for Palestinian legitimacy headed by President Mahmoud Abbas and respect for the legitimate institutions of the Palestinian National Authority including the elected Palestinian Legislative Council and commitment to the Palestinian resolution to preserve the achievements and rights of the Palestinian people at risk.
The Council stressed that Palestinian reconciliation is the only real guarantee in order to preserve the unity of the Palestinian territories geographically and politically, to forestall any party seeking to benefit from Palestinian division under any names or considerations.
It also stressed the need to direct Palestinian energies to end the Israeli occupation and achieve the Palestinian national project, calling on all Palestinians for the immediate cessation of exchange of negative media campaigns.
The Council endorsed the steps agreed upon by the Egyptian-sponsored Palestinian factions to end the division, starting with the formation of a national government of consensus with specific tasks and allow the lifting of the blockade and hold new presidential and legislative elections simultaneously in accordance with the new Palestinian election law and the restructuring of the Palestinian security services on professional and national foundations and activate the Palestine Liberation Organisation in accordance with the Cairo Agreement of 2005 and the National Accord document of 2006.
The Council also blamed Israel for the deteriorating situation in the Palestinian territories, as it called for an immediate halting of Israel’s hostilities targeting Christian and Islamic holy places that were practised in blatant infringement of international and human regulations.
It also condemned the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip, which led to the worsening humanitarian situation of Palestinians even more and called for a swift lift of the siege and pledged all support for the Palestinians.
The Council also urged the international community, represented by UNRWA, to shoulder its humanitarian responsibility regarding collective punishment practised by Israel against the Gazans.
It also called for measures to prevent Israeli products from being exempted from international customs fees in global markets.
The Council further condemned Israel’s manipulative and racism-filled schemes that led to confiscation of more Palestinian territories in the West Bank, which made it almost impossible for an independent Palestinian state to be established.
The Council also urged the Mideast Quartet to pressure Israel to halt violations that shattered unity and sovereignty of a potential Palestinian state.
The Council decided to keep the meeting open so as to follow up on the latest developments in the Palestinian arena and asked the Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa to follow up on the decision and present an inclusive report on it for the next session of the Council.