Newspaper El Diario
Parana, Entre Rios – November 9 of 1993
VISIT TO EL DIARIO
The Palestine Ambassador referred to the peace agreement (view)
During his stay in our city – after having participated in the community party organised by the Syrian Mutual Help Society from Nogoya – the Palestine Ambassador in Argentina, Suhail Hani Daher Akel, visited El Diario and he spoke about the scope of the peace agreement recently signed in Washington with the Israeli government. The Diplomat was escorted by the President of the Justicialista Party in Parana, Juan Domingo Zacarias, who anticipated that Akel was invited to offer conferences before officials, congressmen and general public on December 9th.
As it was expected, the Palestine Ambassador Suhail Akel was emphatic with the peace agreement signed after the negotiations held with representatives of Israeli people. “We have felt the great satisfaction that Israel recognised the Palestine Liberation Organisation as the unique representative of the Palestinian people. This allowed us to give this step, which had not been conquered before in spite of the conferences which were maintained during two years”, the diplomat said.
“From the moment that Israel understood that it had to recognise the PLO – he maintained – the signing of the agreement was achieved very quickly. It consists in a declaration containing 17 items and it will allows us to carry out a Palestinian autonomy principle in Jerico and Gaza Strip”. According to Akel, this process will take place in the next 9 months with the demilitarisation of the territories located in the West Bank and it will begin on December 13 this year.
Towards a definite peace
Notwithstanding the agreed term, Akel assured that the definite signing of the agreement will be carried out in a process of five years, “as we are beginning to win a greater presence in our homeland and also as the Israeli occupation is beginning to demilitarise. With regard to this, refugees’ situation and the economic relations have to be taken into account. As this process is beginning to get its effect, undoubtedly a Palestinian independence will be establish in a definite way”.
Before a question, the Ambassador recognised that “there are still many open wounds in both people: the Palestinians ones and the Israeli ones. But we have to add that we are working in order to overcome the situation; there had been many decades of conflicts and great pain. That is why we looked for an understanding with our enemy, in order for our sovereign rights to be recognised and mutual cohabitation to be achieved. We cannot go on having our people at the mercy of the Israeli occupation army. Nor can we expose our people to the Israeli army’ violence from the psychic, physical, labour and economic point of view”.
In relation to the acceptance of the measures adopted by the Palestine authority on behalf of his people, Akel said that “it was not an unilateral or personal decision, but it was adopted by the Palestine National Council (Parliament) from September 26 to September 28, authorising the Participation of a Palestine delegation in the peace conference before our enemies in order to maintain a direct contact, always in the frame of a democratic decision of our Parliament”. He added that the Palestine Central Council (intermediate between the Executed Committee leaded by Arafat and the Parliament) “ratified the agreement with 68 votes in favour, 2 against and 11 abstentions”.
“The day that the agreement was signed – he answered the question arose – our people went out to the streets in the most important cities and villages, with our flags and pictures of leaders and martyrs. It was proven that our wounds will not be changed by hate and revenge”.
Now that the peace process in the region is in process, Akel said that the aim is eradicating Palestinian people’ s misery and famine. “We have 120.000 workers who are the cheap labour of Israelis and their salaries are between 50 and 120 dollars per month, with 15 or 16 working hours and agreements per day”.
In order to show the way in which famine has increased, the Ambassador told us that “a Palestinian young boy attacked an Israeli civilian over two months ago. Later on, he confessed that he had attacked him in order to be arrested and to be able to eat in prison”.
“Subdue”
Akel told us that the Palestinian people must work in the occupied zones (by Israel) because there is not industrial and agricultural activity on their side, since “it is forbidden. Everything is castrated in our zone; but, from this autonomy principle, we want to re-establish our work. The economic support the entire world is giving to Palestine will be used to create our source of work and dismantle the labour violence which has existed during the existence of occupation”.
The Ambassador spoke of an international commitment to help Palestine and –in this scope – he said that “there is an American pool that is willing to handle 6 hundred million dollars yearly during ten years. In the same way, the European Economic Community will do this during the next five years. On the other hand, Japan assured that it will install industries and enterprises; whereas that the World Fund is going to grant a credit line”, the diplomat said. The he added that “there was also a meeting to finance Palestine on last September 30. Forty countries participated in this meeting, Israel among them (it will contribute with 25 million dollars as a grant and 50 million dollars as shares)”. In the meeting 2 thousand million dollars were collected.
Relations
in Argentina
Akel also referred to the relations with the Jewish community in our country
from the signing of the Washington agreement and he said that “I
have had the chance, for the first time, of participating in television programmes
with the representatives of the Israeli Embassy. I hope that this becomes
useful and that this continues intensifying in order to get a honest, sincere
and frank dialogue in all aspects”, he said.