The PLO Executive Committee, in its capacity as the sole party with the political decision, called for reaching a detailed agreement that solves all issues of the final status with international guarantees and timetable for the purpose of an integrated agreement. The Committee which held a meeting yesterday headed by President Abbas in Ramallah stressed: All the voices that are issued by Palestinian extremist parties and some regional forces close to them and collaborating with them are preaching from now about frustrating the idea of the international conference and wish and are working to frustrate the conference without noticing that their position meets with an Israeli extremist position against the idea of an international conference. The Committee explained: The national responsibility calls for hard work to gain the largest national and international support to the Palestinian position that meets with the Arab and international legitimacy. The Committee expressed total rejection to the illegal acts performed by the coup forces through appointments and changes inside the ministries in Gaza Strip and the attack against the medical apparatus at Shifa Hospital and the crimes committed against our people in Bet Hanoun and Khan Yunis and terrorizing the innocent citizens and preventing them from celebrating national occasions. The Committee welcomed the positions and efforts of some Arab leaders and figures who show care and concern for the cause of Palestine. The Committee stressed that it is impossible to hold any dialogue before the end of the coup and return of legitimacy to Gaza Strip. The Committee welcomed the return of Abdul Rahim Mallouh to work inside the Committee and condemned the recent crimes of the Israeli occupation.

In the meantime, President Abbas said matters can become more complicated and difficult if the peace process does not witness any moves within the next few months. The statement came in the meeting of the National Committee to Prepare for Celebrating Jerusalem – the Capital of Arab Culture – 2009. The meeting was held at the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah and was headed by President Abbas. President Abbas added: I don’t say that we started a dialogue but this dialogue must start, especially that we are moving towards an international conference and if there is nothing important in it to build on, then there is no point in holding it and this is what we told all the concerned parties. President Abbas believes that the international conference will be held in November 2007. Abbas expressed hope to reach to a formula that can activate the peace process and move it forward; the final status negotiations were supposed to start in 1996 and to end in 1999 but we got nothing and from that time, there was no progress. Selecting Jerusalem as a cultural capital for 2009 shows the major importance and interest in our Holy City and we know that the city needs many things and we know that it is being Judaized and seized piece by piece; therefore, there are other committees that we hope would be activated and there are many committees and unfortunately they don’t work. He expressed hope that the National Committee would succeed in its work and to start its work as soon as possible, stressing that he will provide all support for the committee to achieve its goals. Dr. Hanan Ashrawi read the presidential decree on the formation of the National Committee to Prepare for Celebrating Jerusalem as Capital of Arab Culture – 2009. Ashrawi stressed on the need to organize the work of the committee and finding the vision and common concepts for the work of the committee and means of follow up and implementation of the items of the decree in a professional and effective manner, especially that the event will be a major event. The Presidential Decree stipulates the formation of the National Committee with President Abbas as the Supreme Head of the Committee, poet Mahmoud Darweesh as Head of the Committee, and Dr. Ashrawi as Head of the Executive Office of the Committee, and attorney Ahmad Ruweidi as Secretary of the Committee, and Yasser Abed Rabbo, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein, Patriarch Michel Sabbah, Naser al-Qidwa, Ibrahim Abrash (Minister of Culture), Lamees al-Alami (Minister of Education and Higher Education) and Khouloud D'eibes (Minister of Tourism and Women Affairs), Mohammed Shtayyeh, Mazen Sinnoqrot, Yahia Yakhlaf as members along with representatives of private and cultural institutions in the city of Jerusalem (47 members).

Published at Al Hayat al Jadida NewsPaper on August 12, 2007