Newspaper
El Siglo
Tucuman
– Friday, October 22 of 2004
AMBASSADOR SUHAIL AKEL SAID THAT ISRAEL KILLED 167 PALESTINIANS IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS
The international community is responsible for what it is going on in Palestine (view)
“We have come to highlight the tragedy of the Palestinian people who have lived under the Israeli occupation in the last four years. That is, they have lived under the policy of Ariel Sharon and the construction of the Apartheid wall. And it is unacceptable to speak of that wall on the basis of security”.
This was one of the concepts established by the Palestine Ambassador in our country, Suhail Hani Daher Akel, who visited El Siglo and later gave a conference at the Law School: “Palestine and the Wall Tragedy”. This conference was coordinated by the Asociacion Ciudadana “Compromiso con la Argentina” (Public Association “a Compromise with Argentina”), which is headed by Dr.Fernando Leila in our province.
Akel explained how Israel is building the wall. “It consists of 25 kilometers within Palestinian territory and it will reach 720 kilometers in extent. It divides cities and villages; it will divide West Bank in four regions consisting of eight cities in ghettos and 64 enclaves. This wall is going to mean the loss of 58 per cent of the small Palestinian territory. We are referring to an almost 6,212-square-kilometer territory and they are going to keep 87 per cent of waters. Then it is unacceptable to speak of a security barrier”, he expressed.
Delivering a firm exposition and referring to what the United Nations has established, the Ambassador reminded us that the International Court of Justice regarded the wall as illegal y urged Israel to destroy it and compensate those Palestinians who suffered the consequences.
Akel stated the following: “Sharon can fence in the Israeli people, if he likes; but within the border which was established in 1967, not a single meter within the Palestinian territory. Israel must definitely withdraw from the occupied territories, just as it was established by UN resolutions which –with 150 votes in favour, including the Argentine vote- regarded Israel as an occupant power. Then the international community is responsible for what it is going on in Palestine. It must find the way to force Israel to put an end to occupation and to also put an end to killings”.
Illustrious Citizen
By means of a decree, the Capital City Mayor yesterday declared Ambassador Suhail Akel Illustrious Citizen of San Miguel de Tucuman. Among the activities arranged for today, it is scheduled to have a meeting with the Governor at the regional Government House.