Newspaper
El Diario
Villa
Maria – Thursday, August 21, 2003
Suhail
Akel in Villa Maria City
The international community has divided my country
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The Palestinian Ambassador in our country, Suhail Hani Daher Akel, left a message of peace in our city and it is always going to be engraved in our hearts due to the olive tree which has been planted in Independence square. “The international community divided my country”, the diplomat said.
Suhail Hani Daher Akel (photo) arrived at Republica Hotel at around lunchtime yesterday. With his erect figure and a history of sufferings and persecutions, the Palestinian Ambassador in our country brought us a message of peace and the affection of his people who have been facing an endless war for fifty years.
"Some day, I expect to be able to welcome you at Jerusalem city when the Palestinian flag flies there”, he emphasized during an emotive speech at the White Hall located in the Town Hall.
It was his first activity. A ceremony at the Town Hall, an exchange of presents with Mayor Martin Gill and a press conference.
“Israel is the only country which has been created by the United Nations and it has not even respected the main resolution which dates from 1947”.
Suhail Hani Daher Akel wanted to make the situation of his country “exquisitely” clear. “We are not going to create the Palestine State, we are going to restitute it. Israel is trying to delete history, it is trying to delete the fact that it has been created on Palestine’s flank”.
The Ambassador himself was born in Jerusalem. “Israel did not gain independence, it was created. There was no State before 1948. But there was something called Palestine", he stated emphasizing every word and making use of a perfect Spanish.
“The international community divided my country”. The diplomat openly criticized the United States for carrying out its colonialist role, what he called Zionist destruction semantics”.
“We, Palestinians, are the natives of our lands, we have experienced many occupations, we have been victims of many occupations. We will triumph or we will triumph. We want to achieve two States for two people. We are never going to accept a Palestinian State established by Mr. Sharon’s handwriting”.
The Palestine Ambassador strongly defended the stance of his leader Arafat. “He is a democratic leader who has been elected by the people and who has obtained a Peace Nobel Prize. But he is a leader who is militarily besieged”.
His message of peace is always going to be engraved in our hearts due to an olive tree which has been planted in Independence square (photo below) in an emotive ceremony. Besides, it was a ceremony shared with the representative of the Jewish community, Isaac Cohen. The Ambassador gave a discourse and he took part in a dinner at AOITA Club at night. He is leaving for Bell Ville today at lunchtime.