<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[South African embassy delegation meets Palestinian deputies, including exile Abu&nbsp;Tir]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>Wednesday, 02 February 2011 15:55</p>
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<div class="img_caption_news-left null" style="width:250px;"><img class="caption_news-left" title="A delegation from the South African embassy with Abu Tir" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/images/article_images/news/middle-east/south-african-embassy-delegation-meets-palestinian-deputies-including-exile-abu-tir.jpg" border="0" alt="South African embassy delegation meets Palestinian deputies, including exile Abu Tir" width="250" height="188" />A delegation from the South African embassy with Abu Tir</p>
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<p></span></strong>A delegation from the South African embassy to the Occupied  Palestinian Territories has held a meeting with elected deputies in  Ramallah, including Mohammad Abu Tir, who was expelled from his home  city of Jerusalem by the Israeli occupation authorities. The two  delegations discussed the Palestinian situation, focusing specifically  on the issue of the Jerusalem deputies facing deportation from the city.</p>
<p>The South African delegation consisted of First Secretary Mr Edgar  and embassy advisor for the Palestinian territories, Mr Michael Van  Niekerk, who confirmed that they had raised the issue of the Jerusalem  deputies with their government for discussion in the South African  parliament. The delegation also conveyed its government&#8217;s solidarity  with the plight of the parliamentarians under threat of deportation.</p>
<p>Exiled deputy Mohammad Abu Tir praised the position taken by the embassy  representatives and their government saying that he and his colleagues  &#8220;appreciate your position which expresses the value of freedom&#8221;, before  restating the difficulties surrounding the issue of the Jerusalem  deputies. &#8220;Exile is the equivalent of death to Jerusalemites and their  representatives,&#8221; he added.</p>
<p>During the meeting Mr Abu Tir pointed out that the policy being  pursued by Israel in occupied Jerusalem is the same as that affecting  Jaffa and Acre inside Israel; the intention, he said, is to displace the  Palestinian population.</p>
<p>The Palestinian group asked about the possibility of the South  African government raising the issue with the UN Security Council, to  which the South Africans responded by saying that they are collecting  information to pass on to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They are also  looking at other ways to help through diplomatic channels.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size:xx-small;"><strong>MEMO Photographer:</strong> Ibtehal Mansour</span></p>
<p><a href="http://www.middleeastmonitor.org.uk/news/middle-east/2014-south-african-embassy-delegation-meets-palestinian-deputies-including-exile-abu-tir">South African embassy delegation meets Palestinian deputies, including exile Abu Tir</a>.</p>
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