RAMALLAH
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has called on Amsterdam to ratchet up pressure on Israel to release Palestinian prisoners.
Speaking at a meeting with Dutch Representative to Palestine BirgittaTazelaar on Wednesday, Hamdallah urged the Netherlands to pressure Israel to fulfill its responsibilities vis-à-vis hunger-striking Palestinian prisoners and release them, according to a press release issued by Hamdallah's office.
For more than six weeks, scores of Palestinian "administrative" detainees have been waging a hunger strike to protest their ongoing detention without charge.
They have been joined by scores of other Palestinian prisoners in a show of solidarity.
Hamdallah briefed the Dutch official on the challenges facing the Palestinian economy and the adverse impact of Jewish-only settlements on Palestinian water resources.
Hamdallah said the Palestinians were committed to supporting a two-state solution and the eventual establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
He stressed that national reconciliation was a Palestinian choice, pointing out that his new unity government was in touch with Arab countries with a view to activating a financial safety net aimed at helping the government meet its responsibilities.
Tazelaar, for her part, thanked Hamdallah for his role in bolstering Palestinian-Dutch cooperation, saying that these strong relations had led to many development projects that had benefited Palestinians.
By Anees Barghouthy
englishnews@aa.com.tr
http://www.aa.com.tr/en
