Palestinian Authority (PA) cabinet leader Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday urged the European Union to play an active role in the future political process related to the Palestinian cause.
Shtayyeh made the call during an online meeting with the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs, attended by 80 people representing different countries and parties in Europe.
"It is necessary to break the status quo that the Palestinian cause is passing through because of the Israeli occupation measures," said Shtayyeh, according to the Xinhua news agency. He called on the EU to recognize an independent Palestinian state.
During the meeting, he also called on Europe "to end the American monopoly of sponsoring the Middle East peace process through an international conference for peace in which all parties participate."
"Any political process must depend on ending the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories on the basis of the two-state vision under international law and United Nations resolutions," Shtayyeh noted.
The PA has rejected any US attempts to broker peace talks with Israel, arguing that the Trump administration is biased in favor of Israel and is therefore not an “honest broker”.
PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas has repeatedly pushed for an international conference for peace in the Middle East, aimed at bypassing the US efforts to resume talks.
The last round of peace talks between Israel and the PA failed in 2014 when the PA unilaterally applied to join international organizations in breach of the conditions of the talks.
