Palestinian official unveils political plan on ending Israeli occupation

A Palestinian senior official unveiled Thursday that the Palestinian leadership approved a political plan consisting of four steps about ending Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Nabil Shaath, a central committee member of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, said in a press statement that the 4-step plan was decided after a cease-fire deal brokered by Egypt was reached in Cairo on Tuesday.
"The upcoming stage will witness four steps: the first is to submit an application to the UN Security Council on Sept. 15, demanding a 'timetable' for Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territory," he said.
Shaath noted that the Palestinians will apply to the UN Security Council backed by the Arab League, the European Union and Russia, adding that "the Arab League will convene in Cairo in September to discuss this issue."
"This won't be negotiable," he said, noting that "but in case our request is rejected, we will go to the international anti- crimes and oblige Israel to respect Geneva Conventions to sue the Israelis, mainly Netanyahu and Ya'alon."
Shaath was referring to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, who led a large- scale offensive on Gaza for 51 days which killed 2,143 Palestinians.
"Israel yielded to the American pressure to cease fire and not to link the issue of reconstruction in the Gaza Strip with disarming the Palestinian resistance," Shaath said. "Israel is unwilling to lose its allies in the region."
Shaath said the second step is related to activating the Palestinian unity government and make it one government with the full participation of Hamas to facilitate the process of reconstructing the Gaza Strip.
"The third step is to resume the talks in Cairo to agree on the mechanism of ending the blockade and to provide free access of goods and individuals," said the veteran Palestinian leader.
Shaath added that the fourth step is to organize the international donors' conference due to be held in Cairo in September for the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.