Amid preparations for the anticipated Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip and parts of the northern West Bank in the coming weeks, Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei has reiterated the Palestinian Government’s position regarding the implications of Israel’s unilateral decision on both the Palestinian people and leadership.

In a press conference held immediately following the Palestinian Cabinet’s 25th session in Ramallah today, Mr. Qurei stated that the disengagement embodies the tangible impact of “…our people’s steadfastness and the perseverance of our courageous political prisoners in Israeli jails.” He also added that this development must be captured and celebrated as an integral part of our national Palestinian aspirations.

The Prime Minster highlighted that the Palestinian Government is bent on fulfilling its obligations vis-à-vis the disengagement, despite Israel’s wilful failure to provide the Palestinian Authority with clarifications on its unilateral decision.

The Prime Minister also highlighted the Palestinian Government’s willingness and readiness to facilitate the implementation of Israel’s unilateral disengagement, stressing the importance of the continued classification of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as one political and geographical entity and cautioning that the anticipated disengagement from the Gaza Strip must not be carried out at the expense of increased settlement activity in the West Bank, in particular around the city of Jerusalem.

The Prime Minister asserted that the Palestinian people and leadership are committed to the sustainable development of the evacuated areas and expressed the Palestinian Government’s unwavering commitment to the process of institution-building, based on the principles of transparency, political pluralism, freedom of expression, democracy, and the rule of law.

Mr. Qurei urged the international community, particularly the United States and the Middle East Quartet, to pressure the Israeli Government to provide clarifications regarding the transformation of the evacuated areas in the northern West Bank to “Areas A” in order to facilitate full Palestinian control of these locations and to allow opportunities of investment.

Regarding Israel’s continued violations of, and non-compliance with, the Road Map, the Prime Minister expressed his deep concern that such measures, particularly the destructive impact of Israeli settlement construction and expansion as well as the construction of the separation wall, will only add more volatility to an already explosive situation, particularly at this critical juncture.

In particular, Mr. Qurei cautioned the international community, most notably the Middle East Quartet, that Israel’s fragmentation of the occupied Palestinian territories and the contemplated closure of Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank constitute a serious obstacle to the implementation of the Road Map, hence a clear disregard to the resumption of the peace process.

The Prime Minister expressed his deep concern regarding Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s latest statements in which he blatantly rejected the right of return of the Palestinian refugees and asserted that there will be no negotiation on the issue of Jerusalem, in addition to reaffirming that the status of Jewish settlements in the West Bank will remain as it is. Mr. Qurei called for a clear position by the international community regarding these statements, and cautioned that these declarations pose a great setback during this critical period.

Mr. Qurei finally reaffirmed that the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, as stipulated by the provisions of international law, comprise the right of return of the Palestinian refugees (in accordance with UN resolution 194) and the establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state on the territories occupied by Israel in the June 1967 War, with Jerusalem as its eternal capital.