Nasser al-Qudwa, the Palestinian representative at the United Nations, states that no decision has yet been made to prevent the UN envoy from entering Palestinian territories. Mr. al-Qudwa made these remarks just hours after an aide to Yasser Arafat, the head of the Palestinian Authority, said that following severe public criticism from Mr. Arafat, Terje Roed-Larsen, the UN envoy to the Middle East, would no longer be allowed to enter Palestinian territories. Mr. al-Qudwa asserts that the Palestinians have not changed the legal status of the UN envoy to bar his entry into Palestinian lands. He added that the Palestinians first want to discuss this matter with Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General. Mr. Annan stated on Wednesday that Mr. Roed-Larsen had spoken on behalf of the UN when he remarked that Palestinian leaders lack the political will to stop terrorist attacks.
Palestinian Officials Respond to Criticism from UN Envoy
Palestinian officials, led by Nasser al-Qudwa, responded to criticism from UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen, stating that no decision has been made to bar his entry into Palestinian territories. This situation arises after Arafat's aide indicated that Roed-Larsen would not be allowed in due to Arafat's public criticism. The matter will be discussed with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Nasser al-Qudwa clarified that no official decision has been made to bar UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen from entering Palestinian territories, despite earlier statements suggesting otherwise. This follows criticism from Arafat regarding Roed-Larsen's comments on Palestinian leadership and terrorism.
- Al-Qudwa emphasized the need for discussions with Kofi Annan before any decision is made.
- Roed-Larsen's comments implied a lack of political will among Palestinian leaders to address terrorism.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Palestinian Authority has faced ongoing criticism regarding its handling of terrorism and governance, impacting its relations with both international bodies and its own populace.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%