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Roundup: Palestinians worry aobut Netanyahu's future policies

Xinhua, March 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

When it's becoming clear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will shape the new government, Palestinian officials warned of the consequences and determined to intensify diplomatic efforts.

Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official, warned Tuesday night of the consequences of Netanyahu's future policies after he shapes the new Israeli government.

"It has become clear that Netanyahu will form the coming Israeli government and the entire world heard what he declared regarding the non existence of a Palestinian state and that construction of settlements will continue," Erekat told Xinhua.

He clarified that Netanyahu's position "reveals the righteousness of the Palestinian move to join the International Criminal Court and the appropriateness of the decisions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council."

The PLO Central Council decided two weeks ago to sever security cooperation with Israel. The PLO stated that the decision was made "in light of Israel's illegal settlements expansion, its refusal to draw the 1967 two-state borders, declining to release prisoners, withholding Palestinian funds and keeping Gaza under siege."

Meanwhile, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) announced it will magnify its diplomatic efforts to globalize the Palestinian cause.

Hamas movement spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in an emailed press release that Hamas doesn't differentiate between Israeli parties "because they unanimously agreed on withholding legitimate Palestinian rights."

Mushir al-Masri, a senior Hamas leader from Gaza, told reporters that "Hamas doesn't depend much on Israeli election results as we see no distinction between right and left."

"Both contest and compete on increased Judaizing of Jerusalem, expanding settlements, maintaining the military occupation, and targeting and massacring us," said al-Masri.

Akram Atallah, a political analyst specialized in Israeli affairs, said "Netanyahu's victory serves Palestinian interests as this will unveil the genuine Israeli attitude before the world."

He added that "the world has a choice, either to unite in establishing a Palestinian state or watch the entire peace project and the two-state principle collapse." Endit