Abu Marzouk: Land swap brings in more waivers

Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk, member of the Hamas political bureau, has strongly slammed the waivers made by the Arab ministerial delegation to the United States regarding an initiative of land swap.

Abu Marzouk said on Wednesday in a statement posted on his Facebook page that the issue of Palestine is an Arab and Islamic issue, but no one is entitled to give up any inch of it.

“We refuse to exchange land because all the land belongs to us,” he said, stressing that the recent waivers might bring in new pressures and more waivers.

Salah al-Khawaja, an expert on issues of settlements and the wall in the occupied West Bank rejected the Arab League endorsement of land swaps between Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, considering it violation of international law.

Khawaja told Quds Press on Wednesday that international law does not allow any state to swap lands before the liberation and the establishment of an independent state.

He pointed out that the principle of “land swap” is like a new Arab waiver to the USA, as it gives legitimacy to the occupation to continue its settlement activity in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Khawaja condemned the Arab silence regarding Israel’s persistent policy of destruction and killing of Palestinian people.

US Secretary of State John Kerry met on Tuesday with Arab League officials to discuss the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative

Kerry welcomed in a meeting with journalists the Arab League’s decision to accept the exchange of lands between Israel and the Palestinians.