Shaath was quoted in the Ramallah-based Al-Ayam daily as specifying that Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, and Mexico had joined Dublin in moving to upgrade their ties with the Palestinians. “Ireland will be the first European country to take this decision,” he was quoted as saying, adding that other European countries will be urged to do likewise.
Shaath’s adviser, Mohammed Waheidy, said the eight countries “didn’t say when” the upgrading would take place. Gunning said that Ireland will not change the status of the Palestinian office in Dublin unless it reaches a “common decision” to do so with other European Community states.
“There has been for some time a Palestinian office in Dublin at the level of delegation-general. There has been no decision to change the status of that office,” he said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that, “if it is true that the Palestinians are working to raise the level of their diplomatic relations with a number of countries, then this is nothing but a clear violation of the Oslo agreement, and a matter that requires Israel’s immediate serious attention.”
The Foreign Ministry said it has ordered its missions in the countries in question to find out what is happening, and stress that such an action, should it be carried out, “completely goes against all agreements, which say that the Palestinians are prohibited from establishing diplomatic relations.”
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority said Sunday that it wants to open a new chapter in relations with Syria, which has long been at odds with the mainstream Palestinian factions. “The time has come to improve this relationship in order to support common interests,” said Tayyeb Abdel Rahim, a senior aide to Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat.