RAMALLAH, Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh today said that the new Israeli restrictions related to the entry of foreigners into the Palestinian territories, which will be implemented next month, are racist and aim at Palestinians holding international nationalities, particularly American and European, activists who express solidarity with Palestine, volunteers who work in the country, employees of foreign companies, and lecturers at Palestinian universities.

Speaking at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting held at his office in Ramallah, Shtayyeh called on the United States not to waive the visa requirement for Israeli citizens if Israel implements the new entry procedures and not to discriminate between an American of Palestinian origin and others.

He also called on Europe to make it clear to Israel that it cannot prevent any European citizen who wants to reach Palestine, regardless of his origin or national roots, from doing so.

Shtayyeh stressed that the United States and Europe have the tools of pressure that can compel Israel to retract these restrictions, noting that this issue was and still is a priority in the discussions with the US, in addition to other issues.

The Prime Minister also called on the United Nations and its member states to firmly oppose Israeli demolitions of Palestinian-owned structures, which, according to UN reports, reached 9000 buildings since 2009 that led to the displacement of 13,000 Palestinians as part of a policy of ethnic cleansing, especially in occupied Jerusalem.

He said the UN, which publishes these reports, should also follow them up with the International Criminal Court, including Israel’s extrajudicial execution policy, and the slow and deliberate death of freedom fighters held in Israeli prisons.

Source: Palestine News & Info Agency