Ambassador Shamieh meets with the Australian delegation of church leaders
The Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and expatriates for Asia, Africa and Australia, Ambassador Dr. Mazen Shamieh, received an Australian delegation on Monday, representing a group of church leaders.
Ambassador Shamieh informed the delegation of the latest developments on the Palestinian scene and the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people and territory in flagrant violation of international law and resolutions of international legitimacy, and the persistence of their settlement and racist policies, which undermines the possibility of achieving any peaceful solution On the basis of the two-state solution, and the Israeli escalation of the policies of the Christian and Islamic holy shrines with a view to changing the historical and legal status quo of the holy city, which would transform the conflict from a political to a religious one, which would have catastrophic consequences at all levels. Ambassador Levantine also touched upon the unjust blockade of the Gaza Strip for more than a decade and the consequent serious deterioration of the humanitarian and economic situation in the sector.
The ambassador also answered the delegation's questions about the relationship with the US administration and the position of the Palestinian side of the US initiative, noting that the US administration has reneged on all its commitments and promises to the peace process and has repudiated all Palestinian rights through its declaration and blatant aggression against The inalienable rights of the Palestinian People, international law and international understandings concerning forms of solution based on the concept of two states through the transfer of the United States Embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and the closure of the office Of the PLO in Washington and the cancellation of all U.S. aid and projects for the Palestinians, including UNRWA-directed assistance. After such arbitrary actions, the Palestinian side cannot accept the mediation of the United States Administration as being incapable of being qualified as an intermediary, unbiased and impartial role.
Shamieh also called on the Australian delegation to work with all parties to adopt more advanced attitudes towards the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, affirming the commitment of the Palestinian people and leadership to the culture and values of peace, its openness and its positive interaction with international initiatives based on justice and rights of the Palestinian people.