PLO Official Confers with U.S. Organizations

27 July 2001
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PLO
Official Confers with U.S. Organizations

Washington, DC – On 27 July 2001, Palestine National Council member Hani Al Hassan met with leaders of American nongovernmental organizations at the Palestine Center to discuss the worsening situation in the Occupied Territories of the West Bank and Gaza. He also outlined the Palestinian perspective of the 10-month long intifada.

Al Hassan stated, “The central issue is that the Israeli government is not ready to cope with how to replace domination with partnership and coexistence.” He pointed out that the United States’ Mitchell report attributed the current violence to “illegal settlement activity and humiliation of the Palestinian people.” Also, he reiterated that the Palestinian Authority has agreed to implement the Mitchell report in its entirety. The Sharon government of Israel has not.

Al Hassan depicted severe economic conditions, medical shortages, and physical and mental suffering imposed upon the Palestinians.

Al Hassan is the key founder of the Fateh movement of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). He leads the Fateh Foreign Relations Department of the PLO and serves as international and strategic advisor to Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat.