Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal al-Mikdad on Tuesday renewed Syria’s support to the Palestinian people and their fair cause until their lands are liberated and the Palestinian refugees are back home.

“Syria is working to help UNRWA fulfill its duties and offer its services to the Palestinian refugees and their camps till they return back to homeland according to the UN resolutions 194 for 1948 and 302 for 1949,” al-Mikdad said during the opening session of a meeting on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

He added that Syria’s total expenses on the Palestinian refugees reached at more than $ 136 millions in 2007 in the social, educational and health fields in addition to providing them with resort, security and food.

Dr. al-Mikdad reiterated Syria’s backing to the unity of the Palestinians, saying “Syria as a leadership and people, welcomes the initiatives lately announced to conduct a fruitful dialogue to restore the unity of this people and boost the role of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.”

He called the international community, represented by the UN and Security Council, to immediately intervene and end the Israeli unfair siege imposed on Gaza strip and allow UNRWA to present its ordinary services and its human aid without any obstacles.

Deputy Foreign Minister also called for implementing the international legitimacy resolutions which calls Israel to withdraw from the occupied Arab territories in Palestine, Golan and the remaining parts in southern Lebanon till the line of June 4th, 1967.

He urged the UN to assume its responsibilities in releasing more than 11 thousands Palestinians detained in the Israeli prisons under illusive pretexts.

General Commissioner of UNRWA Caren Abu Zeid, for her part, referred to the synchronism of this meeting with the 60th painful anniversary of Al-Nakba which lea to the displacement of the Palestinians and forcing them to leave their homes.

She praised Syrian efforts to offer services to the Palestinians in the fields of education, health and resort.

“All appeals to ease and decrease the number of Israeli roadblocks put in the face of the Palestinians were ignored. UNRWA statistics showed that the Israeli roadblocks between September 2007 and April 2008 increased from 566 into 607, that fact that obstructs the work of UNRWA to reach the places which need human aid.

The two-day meeting, held at al-Cham Palace, was attended by delegations representing 24 member and observer from countries that host the Palestinian refugees and other donors countries

Posted: Tuesday, June 10, 2008 – 05:55 p.m. www.sana.sy/eng/21/2008/06/10/178702.htm

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