The developments of the Palestinian cause were also on the menu of the meeting between the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Othman Jerandi, and the Palestinian Prime Minister, Muhammad Ibrahim Shtayyeh.
The Tunisian and Palestinian sides discussed the evolution of the Palestinian cause, the reality of bilateral relations, and issues of common interest between the two countries.
This emerged from a meeting between Tunisian Foreign Minister Othman Jerandi and Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Ibrahim Shtayyeh on Sunday.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of Jerandi’s participation in the work of the 35th session of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 5 and February 6, according to a press release from the Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the same source, the head of Tunisian diplomacy met with Shtayyeh to discuss “the development of the Palestinian cause, the reality of bilateral relations and issues of common interest”.
“Jerandi conveyed to Shtayyeh at the beginning of the meeting President Kais Saied’s fraternal greetings to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.”
The Tunisian minister also underlined that “the Palestinian cause will always remain at the center of Tunisians’ attention, and that Tunisia will spare no effort to defend it in the various international and regional forums”.
In turn, Shtayyeh informed the Tunisian minister of the conditions prevailing in the Palestinian territories and the continuation of the occupying power (Israel) in its continued violation of the most basic humanitarian principles, in flagrant violation of the relevant UN resolutions”.
Shtayyeh stressed that “the lack of accountability enjoyed by the occupying power is one of the most important reasons for its continued disregard for international legitimacy.”
At the level of bilateral relations, the press release indicates that “the Palestinian Prime Minister hailed the distinguished level of relations between the two countries, wishing Tunisia and its people well-being and prosperity”.
The statement underlined that “the meeting focused on items on the agenda of the Executive Council and the current African Union summit, including the efforts of the occupying authorities to obtain observer status with of the Union”.
According to the same source, the occupation authorities are trying to enter various international sites without taking into account the principles on which the African Union and the various international and regional organizations have insisted, over the years, on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people”.
On Sunday, some international media announced the suspension of Israel’s membership of the Union, after protests at the summit.
For her part, African Union spokesperson Ebba Kalondo told Anadolu Agency that the union has not yet taken a decision on suspending Israel’s membership as an “observer member”.
Kalondo explained that the information reported by some media regarding the suspension of Israel’s membership is false.
