Jun 6, 2009, 10:37 GMT
Ramallah - Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Saturday the Palestinian Authority wants the United Nations to bear full responsibility and help reconstruct the destroyed infrastructure in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
A 22-day Israeli air, sea and ground military offensive that ended in January 18 had destroyed medical and educational facilities as well as governmental buildings and thousands of houses, in addition to the infrastructure.
Erekat, who met with UN Secretary General envoy Robert Serry, told reporters that the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip should go through the UN and its developing program (UNDP).
He said there was 'no justification' that as yet there had been no international consensus to press Israel to stop blocking the UN in embarking on Gaza's reconstruction process.
At the end of the Israeli offensive, an international donors conference held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh, came up with pledges of some 7 billion dollars to help rebuild Gaza.
'President Mahmoud Abbas' priority is to immediately start reconstruction in Gaza,' said Erekat, calling on the UN not to minimize its budget and urge the world to offer help to the humanitarian organization to carry out its activities.
Asked about the resumption of peace talks with Israel, Erekat said 'it's time now to set up the mechanisms and the timetables and send the teams of inspectors to implement the Middle East roadmap peace plan.
'We want to see the roadmap, the Arab peace initiative and the international resolutions to be implemented to end the Israeli occupation and establish the Palestinian state on the territories occupied in 1967,' said Erekat.
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