PA cabinet to form investigation committee into Jerusalem properties issue

The Palestinian Cabinet decides to form an investigation committee to inquire into the issue of Jerusalem properties, approves the national risk assessment report of money laundering and terrorist financing, and reaffirms that the implementation of development projects and international financing should be through or in coordination with the Palestinian Government.

During its weekly meeting held in Ramallah on Wednesday, the Palestinian Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Dr. Rami Al- Hamdallah has:

· Stressed that despite all the obstacles facing the Palestinian Government, whether by the illegal restrictions of the Israeli occupation or the inability of the Government to perform its duties in the Gaza Strip, as well as the incitement and false accusation campaigns against it, the Government never neglected its responsibility towards its citizens in the Strip. The Palestinian Government assured it continuously mobilizes all kinds of political and economic support to lift the illegal Israeli blockade against Gaza and continue the reconstruction process, as well as many other development projects. In this regard, the Palestinian Government noted that all international financial aid to the Gaza Strip should be through or in coordination with the Palestinian Government, in order to preserve the Palestinian unity and political decision, cut the road to any plans to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, and stop any attempts to harm the Palestinian issue.

· Rejected all suspicious campaigns to divert the attention from the illegal Israeli occupation, which is the real cause of the suffering of the Palestinian citizens in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Government condemned all attempts to confuse the public opinion and absolve the Israeli occupation from its obligations towards Gaza, as well as the black coupled by Hamas, which affected all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip.

· Assured that the withdrawal of the US administration from the “optional protocol” under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, and its ongoing attacks against the UNRWA and other international institutions, contradict the values of democracy, justice and human rights that it praises and adopts. “While Israel, the Occupying Power, abandons the values of the international law and insists on committing violations and war crimes against the Palestinian citizens, the US administration provides it with full protection and an increasing culture of impunity.”

· Condemned the repeated Israeli violations against the Palestinian citizens and their holy places in Jerusalem, Hebron, Bethlehem, and Nablus, as well as the attacks on unarmed citizens, especially during the olive harvest season, and the continued incursion and raid attacks by settlers into the Al-Aqsa Mosque. In addition to the Israeli seizure of a historic property near the Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the Israeli Occupying Forces.

· Denounced the Israeli confiscation of the historic property in the Oqbet Darwish inside the Old City of Occupied Jerusalem and other attacks in Silwan neighborhood. On that note, the Cabinet called upon the international organizations and institutions, especially the UNESCO, to intervene immediately to prevent Israel, the Occupying Power from dissolving and damaging the original Arab, Islamic, and Christian cultural heritage and identity of the city. Yet, H.E Prime Minister Dr. Al-Hamdallah announced the formation of a special investigation committee to inspect the truth regarding the case of the property issue in Jerusalem, with the purpose of studying all relevant documents, hold all related parties accountable, and announce the outcomes of the investigation publicly.

· Criticized the illegal Israeli imprisonment policy, arrest campaigns, and held Israel, the Occupying Power, fully responsible for committing such daily violations and international crimes against the defenseless Palestinian citizens.

· Encouraged the increasing resilience of the Palestinian citizens in Khan al-Ahmar against the colonial Israeli schemes, stressing that the Palestinian Government continues to provide all necessary tools of support to endorse the resilience of the Bedouin communities. Yet, the Palestinian Government continuously calls upon the international community to take concerted measures to stop the illegal Israeli demolitions, and hold Israel, the Occupying Power accountable for its crimes.

· Welcomed the first visit of the ambassadors of the Cooperation among East Asian Countries for Palestinian Development (CEAPAD) to Palestine on Wednesday for a week. The delegation will meet with the Steering Committee, which was formed under the supervision and auspices of PM Al-Hamdallah to follow up on projects aimed to build and develop the capabilities of the Palestinian personnel, as well as discussing possible ways to enhance the Palestinian economy.