Off the wire
• Singapore stocks end up 0.6 pct  • Azerbaijan says 3 soldiers killed in clashes with Armenia  • 5 killed, 20 wounded when suicide bomb strikes Iraqi restaurant  • News Analysis: Heated debate in Mauritania over president's third term bid  • At least 3 militiamen killed in suicide car bomb attack near Baghdad  • Burkina Faso president promises to reduce gov't wage bill  • Singapore stocks close 0.6 pct higher  • Interview: Worries over Chinese economy rushed, exaggerated: economist  • Chinese firm to improve electricity distribution in DR Congo  • Feature: Senegalese teachers of Chinese language in one week training seminar  
You are here: 　 Home

Palestinian PM urges EU ban on Israeli settlement products

Xinhua, April 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah on Monday called on the European Union (EU) to ban Israeli settlement products from entering Europe.

At a meeting here with Christian Berger, director for Middle East at the European External Action Service, Hamdallah said the Israeli settlements are illegitimate under international law.

He urged EU states to upgrade Palestinian diplomatic representations and fully recognise the Palestinian state.

Secretary General of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Saeb Erekat had earlier voiced disappointment at the EU's position at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) with regards to Israeli settlement products.

UNHRC adopted a resolution to "blacklist" companies that operate in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The resolution was passed by 32 votes in favor, while 15 members, including the EU, abstained. None voted against.

The issue of settlements was believed to be one of the major sticking points that led to the failure in 2014 of the last round of peace talks, sponsored by the United States, between Israel and the Palestinians. Endit