Ramallah - "Jerusalem" dot com - Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh discussed with the Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation, Miriam Ketter, bilateral relations and political developments.

This came during a meeting held today, Thursday, in Ramallah, in the presence of the Head of the Environmental Quality Authority, Nisreen Al-Tamimi, and the Belgian Consul General, Wilfried Pfeffer.

The Prime Minister briefed the guest on the Israeli measures on the ground, including storming cities, villages and camps, carrying out field executions and arrests, from which children and journalists were not spared, the latest of which was the assassination of the prominent Palestinian journalist Sherine Abu Aqleh yesterday in Jenin, and the child Thara al-Yazuri in al-Bireh.

He continued, "This is in addition to the acceleration of settlement activity, the demolition of homes, the seizure of lands, the Judaization of Jerusalem, and the continuation of incursions, which would increase tensions and destroy the two-state solution."

On the other hand, the Prime Minister said: "We live in a state of political vacuum, as there are no initiatives from any party at a time when Israel is systematically destroying the two-state solution." Pointing out that the alternative to the two-state solution is to perpetuate the state of apartheid in which we live today, which was documented by several reports of prestigious international institutions.

The Prime Minister briefed the guest on the economic and financial situation in Palestine, which is mainly linked to the occupation measures and its control over our resources and illegal deductions from our money, in addition to the consequences of the Corona epidemic and the war in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister appreciated the Belgian support in various fields and its position in support of the rights of the Palestinian people, calling for the support of the University of Nablus for vocational and technical education.

The two parties discussed the Belgian programs in Palestine, which focus on education and vocational training, creating job opportunities for youth and promoting entrepreneurship issues, in addition to issues related to climate and the environment.

After the meeting, a memorandum was signed to launch the Belgian Cooperation and Support Program for the next five years, between the Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation, Miriam Ketter, and the head of the Environmental Quality Authority, Nisreen Al-Tamimi.

The Belgian Minister of Development Cooperation said: "During my visit, I met many Palestinians and saw that they have the strength to carry life in their hands and build their future, and for this we provide support and empowerment because they also have the determination to progress despite the obstacles they face in their daily lives."

Ketter added, "We will continue, during the next five years, to work together to improve the lives of the Palestinian people, especially the youth, and empower them in these difficult circumstances. To give them a better future, we will invest in education by building a number of schools in the West Bank, Jerusalem, and Gaza, because knowledge is power."

And she continued, "We will work, through the cooperation program, to support vocational education and training schools to provide students with technical skills that will help them engage in the labor market, and we will also work to support and empower women."