Haider Abdel Shafi

According to Mr. Abdel Shafi, Zionism has been a way of reaching objectives through force. The world needs to be faced with the facts. When the settlement building began after 1967, the UN condemned it. Israel decided not to respect this verdict. Mr. Abdel Shafi argued that throughout the negotiations onto Madrid, the Palestinians have suspected that Israeli policy had predetermined goals and aims and that therefore Israel could not be seen as an honest negotiating partner. He argued that the reasons for the Palestinians to negotiate was, that with the Gulf War and the international interests that were involved, the international community might pay attention to the situation of the Palestinian people. The result has been the opposite. It has been a cover for Israeli actions in the occupied territories.

Mr. Abdel Shafi claimed never to have been in favour of the Oslo-agreement, since he believes that these agreements would be used as a cover for Israeli oppression against the Palestinian people. The Intifada should have been organised better. It was meant to stand up against the Israeli policies and to obtain the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people. Instead it has given the Israelis excuses and pretexts for using brutal force.

Mr. Abdel Shafi claims that Israel is not really aiming at a real two-state solution in which the Palestinian State would be a legitimate and sovereign state. At least he sees no indications for this to be otherwise. He condemns the suicide acts for their innocent victims and their destructive effects on the relations with friends of Palestinians within Israel. Mr. Abdel Shafi does not call these acts terrorism though. He argues that these actions come forth from unending deprivation and the lack of alternatives. He thinks that the EU should take its responsibility and intervene in the conflict. The Palestinians have high hopes for the EU to rise up to its tasks and do so.