Martin Schulz meets political partners in Ramallah

Martin Schulz at a briefing in the office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in East Jerusalem.

Martin Schulz, leader of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats in the European Parliament, visited Jerusalem and Ramallah on 23 June 2010 in order to speak to political partners and friends of German and European social democracy in the Palestinian Territories.
Ahead of his meeting with Palestinian decision makers Schulz met with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in East Jerusalem to be updated on recent political developments in the region.

Ahead of his meeting with Palestinian decision makers Schulz met with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in East Jerusalem.

Especially with regard to Martin Schulz' meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad later in the day, the briefing served as substantial preparation.
In the evening, Martin Schulz met with high-ranking Palestinian government representatives for a roundtable discussion in Ramallah's Darna Restaurant. Nabil Shaath, head of Fatah Foreign Relations Commission, Leila Ghannam, Governor of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, Ghassan Al-Khatib, spokesperson of the Palestinian government, as well as Naser Al-Qidwa, member of Fatah Central Committee, Sabri Saidam, Deputy General Secretary of Fatah Revolutionary Council, and Haitham Arar, member of Fatah Revolutionary Countil followed Schulz' invitation.

Martin Schulz with Michael Bröning und the head of th Palestine Government Media Center Ghassan Khatib in Ramallah

The group discussed domestic politics such as the Israeli settlement construction and the blockade of the Gaza strip as well as external politics like the role of the Middle Eastern countries and the European Union in the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Haitham Arar, Nabil Shaath, Naser Al-Qidwa and Sabri Saidam (from left to right).

Martin Schulz, the designated president of the European Parliament, was able to deepen and renew his contacts in the Palestinian Territories at this occasion.