Η συνέντευξη του Παλαιστίνιου πρέσβη στα αγγλικά

Stability in the eastern Mediterranean region depends on the termination of Israel's occupation of Palestine, while the implementation of the East Med pipeline project "must be done after all countries in the region have approved it," the Palestinian ambassador to Athens, Marouane Toubassi told "Efimerida ton Syntakton". We discussed with him the critical juncture that is taking shape while Turkish provocations in the region escalate further, Israel is heading in March for it's third elections in a year - for the first time, in an atmosphere of polarization and with Prime Minister Netanyahu indicted-, while in the US time is running out for President Trump's Senate impeachment trial, about ten months before the crucial November presidential election ...

How do political developments in Israel and the US influence the rise of the Palestinian issue?

Initially, I would like to wish for the new year more prosperity for the Greek people which I thank for their continued solidarity with the Palestinian people - and stability throughout the eastern Mediterranean region. Something that, in our view, will not be achieved unless Israel's colonial occupation of Palestine is brought to an end by the implementation of International Law and UN resolutions on the Palestinian issue and all the conflicts in the Middle East, so that the region and the whole world will not be turned into a barbaric state (jungle), dominated by the law of the mighty (strongest).

We hope for the year 2020 to end the historical injustice that our people has been enduring for decades, in accordance with the principles of International Law and all UN resolutions, and remain committed to the two-state solution that will ensure the establishment of a Palestinian state, resolving the refugee issue as well as peace, security and prosperity for all peoples in the region. But the Israeli side has turned the peace process into a non-negotiated deal, since it has never committed itself to what was signed. We are currently confronted with the expansion of colonization in the occupied Palestinian territories by an Israeli far-right government, led by the orders of Zionist settlers. It has made some decisions that reflect its character - I recall what Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel is not a state for all its inhabitants, but for the Jews only. The Law of the Nation-State was adopted by the Israeli parliament (Knesset) last year. Israel has annexed East Jerusalem for many years, in violation of the International Law and UN resolutions. The same was done in the Golan Heights. What it does in the Jordan Valley and in Jerusalem is an ethnic cleansing, just like in Hebron. Military operations are carried out against Syria and Lebanon and against Gaza daily. Following this policy, Israel considers itself to be a state above international law. But these practices have turned his government into an apartheid government. They have indicated their intention not to reach any peace agreement with us and to adopt the Zionist narrative of

settlements in all Palestinian territories. There are too many Jews who disagree with this narrative, namely, that the whole land of Palestine is the land of Israel.

Anyone who disagrees with this policy, with these violations, is accused of being anti-Semitic - as Netanyahu did the other day, accusing the International Criminal Court of Justice of pursuing anti-Semitic policy for wanting to investigate occupation-related crimes. All this has put the Israeli government in a deadlock and Israeli society in crisis, with the result that they have failed to form a government after two elections and are now heading for a third election in March 2020, with the Israeli Prime Minister accused of corruption and abuse of power, while increasing the influence of the Arab Bloc in the Knesset. On the other hand, the Trump administration in the US - where the president is being brought to impeachment trial- takes a completely biased stance in favour of Israel. It has differentiated its position from that of previous US governments. It gave the green light to continue the occupation and colonization by legitimising them. The "Deal of the Century" meanwhile has not yet been announced. For our part, we do not think it exists. We will neither accept this agreement nor any other that does not take into account the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. Israeli crimes and US stance threaten the two state solution. But it gives us little hope that their governments are isolated from the international community, as was shown by recent votes at the United Nations and the UN General Assembly. We believe that the US, despite its strength as a superpower, cannot stand up to international law. This situation cannot continue. There are always changes in the world system and in international relations. There have been empires that collapsed. One cannot ignore the right of peoples to self-determination.

- Hamas, meanwhile, is in a separate dialogue with Israel, mediated by Arab states, regarding the fragile truce in the Gaza Strip, while also tightening its ties with Turkey. How consistent are the policies between Ramallah and Gaza?

Hamas has managed to create a sick reality against the national demand for a Palestinian State at the borders of 1967 and with East Jerusalem as its capital, when it carried out the coup against legitimacy in the Gaza Strip in 2007.

Nevertheless, we continued to be consistent with our people in Gaza, allocating 51% of our budget to meet all its needs. In the past and for many years there was a dialogue between us, agreements were signed under the auspices of Egypt and other states. To our regret, Hamas did not commit to these agreements, with the aim of creating a fait accompli (done deed/accomplished events) in the Palestinian territory. Israel, like the Trump administration, is benefiting from this division. There

are various agendas in other countries that seek to exploit the Palestinian issue to their advantage. We believe that lifting the deadlock lies in holding parliamentary and presidential elections in all Palestinian territories. The latter took place in 2006.

Recently, Hamas and all the factions of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) responded to President Abbas's call for elections and agreed to hold them in the near future. The obstacle that remains is Israel's refusal to allow Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem to participate in the elections, as well as the issue of international mediation.

- Palestine participates in the "Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum" (*). How do you see the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean evolving, also in the light of the Turkey-Libya Memorandums, and how do you think the balance in the wider region might be affected?

Our position is that International Law, International Maritime Law - in particular Article 58 - must be respected, and this should be the basis of any agreements concluded by any State with another. We were informed that the signature for the EastMed pipeline will be signed on January 2 in the presence of Netanyahu in Greece. However, the implementation of this project must be done after the approval of all countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region. We do not deny the right of Greece and Cyprus to participate in projects that are compatible with their interests and we welcome any economic benefits resulting from this project, which would not be at the expense of international law, the law of the sea and other states. I delivered a letter from Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki to his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, on the forthcoming signature for the EastMed pipeline, calling on the Greek government or any company working on this project to respect the maritime rights and sovereignty of the State of Palestine during these works. We would like to emphasize that Israel has not signed the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Greece and Cyprus have signed it, as have we for many years, as has Lebanon. We want to believe that the application of International Law will not apply a la carte. It must be applied everywhere. This defines relations between states. Without laws, the law of the jungle will prevail. I would like to point out that an agreement with a state such as Israel, which violates the rights of two states, namely Palestine and Lebanon, raises a big question mark. Can Greece accept another country to infringe its own territorial waters, and which will thus benefit? That is why there are laws to award Justice to all. We do not expect Israel to comply with international law. Netanyahu has committed grave crimes against the Palestinian people at the expense of the international community. Israel is in breach of the EU's founding principles and values, which requires a review of the EU partnership agreement with Israel. A state that violates the principles of international law and practices political apartheid cannot be called democratic. That is why the recognition of the Palestinian state is

essential. But it makes no sense for one country to support the two-state solution and we are talking specifically about EU countries, including Greece - without the recognition of both states. We remain firmly in favour of negotiations under the auspices of the international community, as the US has isolated itself with all actions it has taken against the Palestinian people and their rights: the closure of the Palestinian Liberation Organization's offices in Washington DC, the halting of funding to UNRWA, the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the legalization and encouragement of colonization. Therefore, they cannot be a mediator in any peace negotiations. We call on the EU, the Quartet, to pursue a more effective policy on this issue and generally on all issues worldwide. The EU should take initiatives to promote its independent role and not act as a follower of US policy in the region and around the world.

(*) a dialogue initiative between seven Eastern Mediterranean countries (Egypt, Greece, Italy, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Cyprus) involved in the production and transit of natural gas.