Khaled Osaily. خالد العسيلي رئيس بلدية الخيل السابق خالد العسيلي
A high-level delegation from the Diet of Japan hosted by President Abbas’s office expressed today its dismay over the reality of conditions in Hebron and its Old City. The delegation had toured Hebron and received a first-hand account of obstacles, closures and other violations by Israeli authorities which go against international law, humanitarian rules and international resolutions.
The delegation, which comprised MPs John Matsumuto and Kono Taro as well as previous MP Suzuko Kisoki and Professor Tamohito Shinoda, also met with Hebron Mayor Khaled Osaily in his office. The meeting was attended by members from Hebron Municipal Council, Acting Hebron Governor Dr. Samir Abou Zneid, Head of the Governorate’s police force Colonel Ramadan Awad and a number of officials from security apparatuses and institutions in the Governorate.
At the beginning of the meeting, Osaily spoke about conditions in Hebron, the division of the city into two parts and measures imposed by Israel on Palestinians living in H2 areas which are still under Israeli Occupation control. He also touched on daily violations committed by Israeli soldiers and settlers against worshippers at the Holy Ibrahimi Mosque, the impact of closures on the daily life of Palestinians and the deteriorating economic conditions they cause. He underlined the importance of implementing projects in the city as they help improve the life of citizens. “We will devote ourselves, despite obstacles and dire conditions, to building our city so that our children can enjoy a normal life like all other children in the world, and so that we prove to the international community that we are capable of building our state, of putting up its pillars and of achieving true development at all levels and in all fields. Hebron Municipality has managed, in a period of two years, to implement a large number of projects and to realize many achievements thanks to support from President Abbas and Prime Minister Fayyad as well as from Arab, Moslem and friendly peace-loving States who cooperate with us and who believe in our rights. Thanks to their efforts, Al Hussain bin Ali Stadium was inaugurated and the biggest nationwide indoor sports hall was built. Moreover a park, a public transportation parking and several cultural centres and electricity, water, roads and wastewater networks were developed of which we are proud. Despite their large number, these projects do not fulfil all our needs. More projects are needed and it is necessary to obtain support and backing from friendly states who believe in justice and in Human Rights. This support should not only be financial but should also be political and international so that we can enjoy our rights and build a fully sovereign and competent Palestinian State”, Osaily said.
Mr. Matsumuto praised Palestinians for their capacity to adapt to changing conditions and for their efforts to improve living conditions in Palestine. “We in Japan hear about Hebron and the dire conditions prevailing there. However I did not imagine that conditions were as difficult as what I have witnessed on the ground today. This was a very important visit for us so that we fully grasp the difficulty of the situation in Hebron and in its Old City. I hope that peace will prevail in the region and that Palestinians would enjoy a normal life. We assure you that we will convey what we have seen here to the relevant bodies in my country”, he said.
Before leaving the city, Osaily offered the delegation a number of books about the history of Hebron and daily life in the city.
