Khaled Osaily. خالد العسيلي رئيس بلدية الخيل السابق خالد العسيلي
A European Solidarity delegation visited Hebron on 25/7/2010 in a show of solidarity with Palestinians in general and Hebronites in particular. The delegation, which comprised a large number of eurodeputies, human rights activists and civil society representatives was chaired by previous Vice-President of the European Parliament, Ms. Luisa Morgantini.
The delegation was received at the Municipality’s Child Happiness Center by Mayor Khaled Osaily as well as by Mr. Abbas Zaki, member of the Fateh Central Committee. After welcoming the delegation, Osaily spoke about conditions in Hebron, a city which bleeds daily due to Israeli occupation policies against Palestinians in Southern Hebron, the Old City and around the Ibrahimi mosque. He also touched upon aggressions and provocations by settlers committed on a daily basis against Palestinians heading to their homes, schools, shops, Al Ibrahimi Mosque or even present inside their homes where they no longer feel safe.
Moreover, Osaily presented a historical overview of the city illustrating its key role throughout history and its importance for humanity as a whole. He touched on its architecture which reflects the various civilizations which left their mark on the city and its neighborhoods. He also presented the steps taken by Hebron Municipality in cooperation with French municipalities to inscribe Hebron on Unesco’s World Heritage List. Osaily called upon the delegation to support the inscription of Hebron on the WHL in order to protect the city, prevent its alteration and to safeguard it as a cultural and humanitarian heritage which must be protected by the free world. Hebron, he said, is one of the oldest cities in the world as it goes back 6000 years, and as such, the city, its history and its humanitarian heritage must be safeguarded.
Speaking about politics and a possible settlement of the conflict, Mr. Abbas Zaki said that the Palestinian political leadership aspires to peace and calls upon the free world to help peace efforts in the region and to exert pressure on the Israeli government to force it to abide by international treaties, to achieve peace and to give Palestinians the rights stipulated in all international treaties as well as in agreements signed between Palestinians and Israelis under international auspices. “The Israeli government is not keen on achieving peace and tries to thwart international efforts by building more settlements and disregarding Palestinian rights. An international stance is required to force it to respect international resolutions and to grant Palestinians their rights”, Zaki said.
Ms. Morgantini said that the delegation has come to Hebron in a show of solidarity with Palestinians “because we see that they are oppressed and we believe that they have the right to live in freedom, to put an end to occupation and to fulfill their national aspirations and enjoy the rights stipulated in international treaties. We call the entire world once again to act quickly so that Palestinians can live in peace and freedom and so that Palestinian children can live a normal life like all other children in the world”, she said.
The delegation had starting its visit to Hebron by a tour in the Old City during which it obtained a first-hand account of conditions witnessed by Palestinians. Delegation members promised to convey what they saw to their peoples and governments.
