'Israeli decision on the Ibrahimi Mosque shows an apparent disregard for the peace process' - Diana Wallis MEP

9.11.37pm GMT Tue 16th Mar 2010

Last Saturday, 13 March 2010, Diana Wallis MEP, Vice President of the European Parliament, visited Hebron on the Palestinian West Bank, at the invitation of the Mayor, Khalid Osailly. During the visit she saw the new recently opened sports stadium, the building work at the new sports centre and met with women's organisations.

The trip was Diana Wallis' second to Hebron, in her words: "To see at first hand what is happening here, particularly after Israel's recent announcement to include the site of the Ibrahimi Mosque on a list of their own specifically Israeli national heritage centres. This in the face of what has been a long term campaign by the Hebron authorities and the Mayor to register the Old City of Hebron as a universal heritage site for all humankind by the end of 2010."

Diana Wallis added: "It was good to see various projects that I had discussed with the Mayor during our previous meetings coming to fruition. This, however, is in stark contrast to developments at the Ibrahimi Mosque; this should be a vibrant bustling area of multiculturalism and peaceful religious tolerance, instead we see a ghost town overseen by men with weapons.

"The Israeli government's decision (to include the site of the Ibrahimi Mosque on a list of their own specifically Israeli national heritage centres) is very worrying. This, taken along with the announcements about further settlement plans in Jerusalem during US Vice President Biden's visit, demonstrates not merely bad timing but also an apparent disregard for the peace process and the views of the international community.

"It is as though certain elements in Israel had set out to intentionally provoke. I do not want to believe this is the case but I hope these combined announcements will get the tough response they deserve both from US and EU."

(Photo shows Diana with the Mayor of Hebron, Mr. Khalid Osailly , right, and Dr. Ali Qawasmi, Chairman of the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee)