Fayad: De facto state within 2 years

PA government pledges to work toward "reuniting" W. Bank, Gaza; calls to end "colonialist occupation."

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Fayad ramallah 248.88 (photo credit: )
Fayad ramallah 248.88
(photo credit: )
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salaam Fayad on Tuesday unveiled his government's plan to unilaterally establish a de facto state by 2011. Fayad's announcement is seen by some Palestinian political analysts as an indication of his intention to run in the next PA presidential election. One analyst said the plan published by Fayad sounded as if it were taken from his election campaign. Over the past few weeks, Fayad has repeatedly stated the importance of holding presidential and parliamentary elections on time in January 2010. Fayad's plan calls for the establishment of a Palestinian airport in the Jordan Valley and reopening Yasser Arafat Airport in the Gaza Strip. In addition, the plan envisages PA control over Atarot Airport near Kalandya Refugee Camp north of Jerusalem. According to the plan, the Fayad government will work hard to build institutions and infrastructure in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip for the future state. The government also pledges to work toward "reuniting" the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Fayad said instead of waiting for a final peace agreement with Israel, the Palestinians should pursue their efforts to build a state of their own. He said the plan, which was based on the political platform of the PLO and the PA, envisages the establishment of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital on all territories captured by Israel in 1967. "The time has come for this colonialist occupation to end and for the Palestinians to enjoy security, freedom and independence," Fayad told reporters in Ramallah. "The prospects of reaching a two-state solution are facing a real danger because of the policy of settlement, which is threatening to destroy any chance left to establish a Palestinian state on Palestinian territories occupied in 1967." Fayad said the establishment of a Palestinian state within a period of two years was a must. He said the future Palestinian state would be democratic with a multi-party political system. "The state of Palestine would respect human rights and all its citizens would be equal," he said. The 64-page plan states that the Fayad government would support the Palestinians in their "peaceful resistance against all of the Israeli occupation's measures, such as land theft and confiscation, settlements, construction of the separation wall and house demolitions." The plan also states that the Fayad government would continue to defend the "Arab character" of Jerusalem, which it describes as the eternal capital of Palestine. The Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday had no response to Fayad's comments.