Union of Palestinian Communities in Europe calls on Greece to cancel Netanyahu visit

BRUSSELS, 8 June 2017 – The Union of Palestinian Communities and Organizations in Greece called on the Greek Government to cancel the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and to reject the summit with him planned for 15 June and to refuse him entry to Greece. “He is a war criminal whose only natural place is in the dock at the International Criminal Court,” said the Union.

The Union also called on all Palestinian and Arab groups and organizations in Greece and in the city of Thessaloniki, and all those in solidarity with the Palestinian people, to demonstrate and protest against the planned summit and to take their anger and revulsion to the streets and public squares.

Dr. Fawzi Ismail, President of the Union, said that the Union “officially called upon the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the representative of Greece to the European Union in Brussels to immediately cancel this shameful visit. It comes in the framework of Zionist and NATO threats to the region and military, security and economic deals between Israel, Greece and Cyprus that aim to loot the wealth of the peoples of these countries, including the Palestinian people. It is also designed to enhance the military and security presence of the racist Israeli state in Europe and the Mediterranean region.”

Dr. Ismail said that “Netanyahu’s visit does not come out of friendship with the Greek people, but rather to push Greece for further political and economic subordination to Washington and Tel Aviv. This does a great disservice to the historical ties of friendship between the Palestinian and Greek people.”

“The SYRIZA government was elected with claims of commitment to international law and respect for the will of the Greek people. At the same time, it is standing with imperialism and Zionist forces and the interests of oil and gas companies while receiving a racist war criminal who killed thousands of civilians in Gaza. Netanyahu is a criminal, a killer of children, and his only natural place is in the dock at the International Criminal Court in The Hague,” said Dr. Ismail.

“If the Greek government refuses to cancel this summit, it is an expression of disregard for human rights and international law as well as for the sentiments and the rights of the Palestinian and Greek peoples, especially the Arab and Palestinian communities in Thessaloniki,” said Dr. Ismail. He called for the widest popular participation in the protest activities against the summit on 15 June.