Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh told his Greek counterpart, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, that Greece’s relations with Israel should not at the expense of international law and right to self-determination of people.
“The relations and common interests between Greece and Israel should not be at the expense of the Greek people and government’s faith in international law and the right of peoples to self-determination,” Shtayyeh told Mitsotakis in a telephone conversation. “Greece must speak loudly against the Israeli annexation plans.”
Shtayyeh asked his Greek counterpart to recognize the state of Palestine, stressing that the international community must take serious steps to prevent the Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank.
“Israel has turned its back to all signed agreements and continues to violate international law and human rights in Palestine. It seeks to impose a fait accompli through the expropriation of land, the demolition of homes, settler violence, arrests and continuing incursions,” Shtayyeh told Mitsotakis.
“We want to break the fait accompli that Israel seeks to impose through a united European position that defends justice for the Palestinian people and protects international law and European values, and restores hope and confidence in international justice.”
He added: “The principle of annexation is unacceptable. Everyone must be alert to the possibility of Israel trying to ease up the international community’s opposition through the gradual annexation.”
The Prime Minister pointed out that Greece’s position is consistent with the European position rejecting the annexation plan and supporting the two-state solution on the basis of international law and UN resolutions.
