EU urges Israel to let Palestinians reopen e. J'lem offices

[bemildred]

The European Union on Wednesday called on Israel to allow the Palestinians to reopen offices in east Jerusalem which were closed by the Public Security Ministry in 2001 on the grounds that they were fronts for illegal activity by the Palestinian Authority. The original closure order has been extended every six months by the Public Security Ministry since 2001.

"The EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah deeply regret the recent Israeli decision extending once again the closure order against the Orient House and the Chamber of Commerce," a statement said, referencing the local headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Arab Chamber of Commerce in east Jerusalem.

"The EU firmly believes that these institutions should be allowed to re-open and resume their operations as focal points for Palestinians in east Jerusalem," an EU statement said. "The EU urges Israel to reconsider the closure and to fully review its decision," it added.

Israeli police shut down the institutions in 2001, shortly after the launch of the Second Intifada.

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=234182

[Ikonoklast]

1. If Israel and the PA would ever get their heads out of the sand, collectively,

and see that doing business together and shared economic development projects would be a boon to all parties involved, things might start to take a step in the right direction for once.

It's going to happen, it is almost inevitable, but seems no one can see a way to it yet.