Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh called on the international community to “put real pressure on the occupying power to stop the escalation immediately”, noting that “any progress in relations between the European Union and the occupying power, without linking it to international law and human rights, would be an undeserved reward.” He calls on Israel to continue its repressive and racist policies and human rights violations.

On the sidelines of the government meeting, he stressed that “for countries that have not recognized the state of Palestine led by the EU countries, it is time to recognize the state of Palestine to protect the two-state solution, and also to strengthen the Palestinian-European partnership.”

Shtayyeh expressed concern about the statements of the new British Prime Minister Liz Truss and her written and circulated promise to members of the Friends of Israel organization in the Conservative Party to check the website of the British Embassy in Israel in order to move it from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. He stressed that “the legal, political and religious status of Jerusalem is not subject to revision, and any step in this direction is a flagrant violation of international law, as well as the historical responsibility of Great Britain, the holder of the ill-fated and illegal Balfour, which caused and continues to cause the tragedy of the Palestinian people.”

He also emphasized that “any change in the status quo in Jerusalem would undermine the two-state solution, which is recognition of the annexation of the city by Israel and encourages occupying and extremist settlement groups to continue their attacks on our people, Christian and Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem and damages bilateral relations with the State of Palestine. And also with the Arab and Islamic worlds, and it spares the UK any future international efforts to reach a solution that will end the conflict in Palestine.”