Vice President of the European Parliament tells Hebronites to continue fighting for rights

Hebron – Ma’an – Vice President of the European Parliament Luisa Morgantini went to Hebron on Wednesday with a delegation of Europeans to show solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli attack.

The delegation was received by Hebron mayor Khalid Osaily and other members of the city’s municipal council.

The delegation was given an update on the situation in Hebron in light of the recent settler attacks against Palestinian homes following the eviction of right wing settlers from the Rajabi home. He called the actions in Hebron a “prelude to the bloodshed by an Israeli war machine which targets residential buildings, mosques, hospitals and schools paying no attention to international conventions and laws.”

Al-Osaily asked members of the delegation to exert pressure on their home governments and on the European Union to stop Israeli aggression both in Hebron and in the Gaza Strip.

He also called on France, the current president of the European Union to place more pressure on Israel, as well as the UN Security Council which he suggested pass a binding resolution on the situation in Gaza.

Al-Osaily also asked the visiting delegation to support an application by the Hebron municipal council to UNESCO for status as a World Heritage Site. The ancient mosque and old city would thus be preserved and Israel would be prevented from destroying precious landmarks Palestinians consider part of human cultural heritage.

For her part, Morgantini said, “We came to Hebron to show solidarity with the Palestinians as we can feel the tyranny upon them, and we believe they have the right to live in freedom by ending occupation of their lands. We believe they have the right to achieve their national dream and gain their rights in accordance with international conventions. We herby call on the whole world to exert endeavors towards achieving Palestinian freedom and letting the Palestinians live in peace securing normal life for their children as their counterparts in the world.”