L-Ewroparlamentari Laburista Daniel Attard ħa sehem f’laqgħa mal-eks Prim Ministru Palestinjan, Dr Mohammad Shtayyeh, li serva bħala Prim Ministru bejn l-2019 u l-2024. Din il-laqgħa saret f’mument kruċjali, hekk kif il-poplu Palestinjan qed ikompli jsofri dak li mhu xejn ħlief ġenoċidju, imwettaq mill-Gvern Iżraeljan immexxi minn Benjamin Netanyahu.
Matul id-diskussjoni, Dr Shtayyeh rrikonoxxa l-kuraġġ tad-Deputati Ewropej li jkomplu jsemmgħu leħinhom u jiddefendu d-drittijiet tal-poplu Palestinjan. Huwa tenna li r-rikonoxximent tal-Istat ta’ Palestina m’għandux jitqies bħala kastig għall-Iżrael, iżda bħala espressjoni leġittima tad-dritt inaljenabbli tal-Palestinjani li jfasslu l-futur tagħhom f’pajjiżhom stess.
L-eks Prim Ministru enfasizza l-passi importanti li ttieħdu minn bosta Stati Membri tal-UE, fosthom Malta, lejn ir-rikonoxximent tal-Istat ta’ Palestina. Huwa saħaq li lil hinn mis-simboliżmu, dan il-pass jimla qlub il-Palestinjani bit-tama u jibgħat messaġġ qawwi u ċar lill-Gvern Iżraeljan biex itemm l-okkupazzjoni illegali tat-territorji Palestinjani.
Fil-intervent tiegħu, Attard saħaq li “huwa skandaluż u bla ebda ġustifikazzjoni li sal-lum, filwaqt li eluf ta’ nisa, tfal u nies innoċenti qed jinqatlu u jindifnu taħt it-trab ta’ djarhom, l-Unjoni Ewropea għadha ma sabitx il-kuraġġ biex tikkundanna lill-Gvern Iżraeljan, li jibqa’ jikkommetti delitti kontra l-umanità.”
Huwa esprima t-tama tiegħu li l-UE “fl-aħħar issib leħinha u turi l-konsistenza u l-kuraġġ meħtieġa biex mill-kliem tgħaddi għall-azzjoni konkreta.” Attard kompla jgħid li “huwa b’hekk biss li l-Unjoni Ewropea tista’ titkellem bi kredibbiltà u tittieħed bis-serjetà fuq livell dinji.”
Flimkien mal-MEPs l-oħrajn preżenti, Attard tenna l-impenn tiegħu li jkompli bl-isforzi tiegħu favur il-paċi u l-ġustizzja għall-Istat u l-poplu Palestinjan.
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Daniel Attard meets with former Palestinian Prime Minister Dr Mohammad Shtayyeh
Labour MEP Daniel Attard participated in a meeting with Dr Mohammad Shtayyeh, who served as Prime Minister of Palestine between 2019 and 2024. The exchange comes at a crucial moment, as the Palestinian people continue to endure what can only be described as genocide at the hands of the Israeli Government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
During the discussion, Dr Shtayyeh recognised the courage of Members of the European Parliament who consistently speak out and stand up for the rights of the Palestinian people. He stressed that the recognition of the State of Palestine is not to be seen as a punishment to Israel, but as a rightful expression of the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination.
The former Prime Minister highlighted the important steps taken by several EU Member States – including Malta – in moving towards the recognition of the State of Palestine. He underlined that such recognition goes beyond symbolism: it fills Palestinian hearts with hope and sends a strong and unequivocal message to the Israeli Government that the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories must end.
In his intervention, Attard underlined that “it is nothing short of outrageous and indefensible that to this day, while thousands of women, children and innocent civilians are being killed and buried under the rubble of their homes, the European Union has not yet found the resolve to condemn the Israeli Government, which continues to commit crimes against humanity.”
He expressed his hope that the EU would “find its voice and demonstrate the consistency and courage required to move beyond words into concrete action.” Attard stressed that “only then can the European Union speak with credibility and be truly taken seriously on the global stage.”
Together with fellow MEPs present for the meeting, Attard reaffirmed his commitment to keep speaking out and to ramp up efforts for peace and justice for the State of Palestine and its people.