RAMALLAH, July 25 (KUNA) -- A member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Dr. Saeb Erekat, said that approaching the General Assembly of the United Nations to seek a non-member state status for Palestine does not contradict with the peace process or the principle of two-state solution.
During interviews conducted in the city of Areeha (Jericho) with the residing consuls, Erekat said that the Palestinian approach is a real focal point for the protection of the two-state option.
Palestinian efforts have been unsuccessful in the past year to obtain full membership in the UN for not recruiting a sufficient number of states to vote on a request by President Mahmoud Abbas during his speech to the UN Security Council.
Furthermore, the United States objected to yield the Palestinians' demand for a full membership in the UN.
The Palestinian President's plan, which he presented to the Arab Higher Monitoring Committee about his intention to go to the General Assembly for a non-member state, has received the backing of the committee that requested the study of this step.
If the Palestinians received a non-member state status in the United Nations, it means that the State of Palestine is under occupation and not a disputed territory, as claimed by Israel.
In addition, the continuation of Israeli settlement will lead to undermining the two-state option, Erekat added.
Erekat concluded by calling on the international community to question the Israeli government and to stop considering Israel as a state above the law. (end) nq.ba KUNA 251234 Jul 12NNNN