During its weekly meeting held in Ramallah today, the Palestinian Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh,
· Condemned the latest Israeli military aggression on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in killing 29 defenseless civilians, including women, children, and injuring tens of citizens. In addition to the continuous attacks damaging the infrastructure; systematically demolishing residential buildings, institutions and centers, and displacing dozens of families, in order to keep the Gaza Strip in constant confusion.
· Commended the Egyptian efforts to stop the ongoing aggression, protect the innocent and prevent the tragedy stressing that this dangerous violence requires an immediate intervention of the international community, especially the United Nations to shoulder its responsibilities and intervene to stop this aggression and provide immediate international protection for the defenseless Palestinian citizens. Further, to compel Israel to abide by the rules of the international and humanitarian law and the resolutions of international legitimacy. Prime Minister Dr. Shtayyeh stressed the importance of putting aside differences, and work uniformly to help the Palestinian citizens in the Strip and enable the Government to carry out its duties and responsibilities to serve the citizens there. In this context, the Cabinet reiterated its readiness to head immediately to the Gaza Strip and end the division upon the 2017 reconciliation agreement. The Cabinet announced that, in accordance with the instructions of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Shtayyeh, the Ministry of Health was advised to act urgently and provide the hospitals in the Gaza Strip with all needed medicines and emergency supplies.
Followed upon the outcomes of the participation of Premier Dr. Shtayyeh in The Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) meeting held last week in Brussels. Dr. Shtayyeh tackled the Palestinian economic and political situation, referring to the current financial war launched by the US and Israel, the Occupying power against the State of Palestine to blackmail it politically to accept the so-called “Deal of the Century." Moreover, Dr. Shtayyeh called upon all donor countries to provide recommendations condemning the continuous violations of Israel, the occupying Power, of the international laws and all signed agreements and to pressure it to release the Palestinian tax funds. In addition to that, Dr. Shtayyeh demanded the donor countries to pressure Israel to allow convening the Palestinian elections in occupied Jerusalem alongside the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to enable his Government in achieving its goals.
· Discussed the meeting outcomes of Dr. Shtayyeh with the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on behalf of President Abbas, on the fringes of the inauguration of the “Camlica Mosque” in Istanbul. Dr. Shtayyeh briefed President Erdoğan on the latest challenges facing the Palestinian issue and the aspirations of the leadership to solve the current crisis, through a series of measures that will be decided and implemented upon the meeting of the Central Council this month.
· Approved an increase in the monthly payments made to the Jerusalem hospitals, despite the difficult financial situation and the scarcity of revenues due to Israeli piracy of Palestinian funds.
· Endorsed the Cultural Cooperation Agreement between the government of the State of Palestine and the government of the Republic of Ecuador aimed to promote cooperation in the fields of arts, culture, and language. In addition to promoting cultural exchanges programs, intellectual, and artistic experiences.
