President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday began an official visit to Germany, during which he met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
The president said that the US administration is not helping to achieve peace and security in our region.
Abbas also criticized Israel’s approval of new settlements in the occupied West Bank, stressing that they are severely undermining a two-state solution, The president also reiterated his demand that negotiations of the files of Jerusalem, refugees, borders, settlements and security be fully sponsored by the UN Security Council
Abbas says, ” we appreciate Chancellor Merkel’s efforts to create multilateral cooperation aside from unilateral solutions to create stability and peace in the world.”
Abbas called on all European states that have not yet recognized the State of Palestine to do so, since this recognition would offer renewed hope, help establish justice, support the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and end the Israeli occupation, the longest in modern history.
He stressed the importance of Germany’s role in the Middle East and thanked the country for its financial support for Palestinians’ health services, education and the strengthening of civil society.
For her part Chancellor Angela Merkel reaffirmed Germany’s support for a negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
“A political solution must be achieved,” Merkel told reporters at a joint news conference with President Abbas, “In our opinion, this can only be possible through a two-state solution negotiated between the conflict parties which takes into account the internationally agreed parameters,” she added.
Merkel underlined that achieving this would be “a long and rocky process” but it would ensure Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace and security.
The chancellor also pledged that Germany would continue to support economic development projects in the Palestinian territories.
