RAMALLAH, May 22 (JMCC) - The Palestinian government has denied allegations that new roads being constructed are facilitating Israeli plans to severe Palestinian areas from each other. In a letter to the Electronic Intifada, government spokesperson
Ghassan Khatib writes:
In the light of previous reports, including the article in the Nation and Jonathan's Cook article published in several outlets, a review meeting with concerned civil society organizations including those whose reports were quoted in the articles and representatives of relevant ministries was conducted. After deliberation and discussions, the meeting concluded that what was presented in the article is simply not true. First, there are no new roads being built, second, the PNA and not the USAID makes the ultimate decisions regarding proposed roads. Third, all the roads being worked on are part of the Palestinian map of 2004, which, in certain areas intersects with the Israeli map.
In 2004, under the Israeli Sharon-led government there were moves on the part of the Israelis to separate and limit contact between Palestinian and Israelis and establishing more segregated roads in the West Bank. Therefore, the Israelis produced a map that included already existing West Bank roads in order to divide them between Palestinians and Israelis. We never accepted such plans for segregating roads and the PNA is adamant in perusing Palestinian right to use any road in the West Bank and any road within the entire Palestinian Territory.
Israel continues to push an agenda aimed at maintaining its illegal settlements and further consolidate its occupation over Palestinians, the PNA is aware of this, and we are working to ensure that Israel does not supplant Palestinian sovereignty with its proposal of transportation contiguity in contrast with the geographic continuity that we insist on. This is done by ensuring each and every road is approved by a national committee composed of official experts representing the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of transportation, Ministry of Local Governance and the Negotiations Support Unit in which proposals for new roads are decided on the basis of objective criteria and Palestinian political and national interests.
Read the entire letter at EI...
Read JMCC.org's article
Separate roads increasingly part of West Bank map...