France, Strasbourg, Feb. 4 / Trend , A.Maharramli/
To achieve breakthrough in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, it is necessary Israel to stop expanding settlements on the Western bank and to remove blockade from Gaza Strip and Palestinian territories, President of Palestinian Autonomy (PA) Mahmoud Abbas said at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
In the Annapolis negotiations, Israel agreed to stop expanding Jewish settlements on the Western Bank, but the process has not begun yet and people grow year by year, Abbas said.
"Besides increasing number of people in the check points 580 and 670, civilians' houses are set on fire on the Western Bank, Hebron and Nablus, as well as civil Palestinians are arrested in some cases," the PA president said.
A conflict aroused between Palestinians and Jewish people on the Western Bank due to firing Arabian houses by Jewish in November 2008.
Although in settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, international mediators urged Israel to stop constructing settlements, end occupation and hold a peace dialogue, but Israel is still constructing settlements, Abbas said.
During speech at the European Parliament Abbas accused Israel of holding Gaza Strip in blockade, which practically tore Gaza off the Palestinian territories.
Israel has blockaded Gaza by closing all check points in the region since January 2008. In response to it, Hamas resistance movement which supervises over Gaza shot at Israeli cities through homemade Kassam missiles.
After expiring term of a six-month agreement in December, Israel commenced large-scale military operations in Gaza against Hamas members which lasted 22 days. The military operations left 1,300 Palestinians killed and more than 5,000 injured, BBC reported.
"The next Israeli aggression caused numerous victims and full destruction of infrastructure for the Palestinian nation," Abbas said.
Therefore, Israel should be punished due to violating international law on Palestinians, Abbas said.
Abbas also urged the European Union and international organizations to assist the Palestinian nation in restoring infrastructure of Gaza and other regions suffered from Israeli attacks.
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