President Mahmoud Abbas reaffirmed tonight the unwavering Palestinian political stance regarding the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from Gaza, and the swift delivery of humanitarian aid to the beleaguered region.
Speaking at an extensive meeting of the Fatah movement in Ramallah, he emphatically stressed the importance of preventing the displacement of the Palestinian people from their land, citing the historical trauma of the 1948 Nakba and the enduring repercussions that have befallen the Palestinian people for decades since then.
President Abbas demanded an end to the policies of killing, destruction, and attacks on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. He also called for an end to the policies of ethnic cleansing and apartheid perpetuated by Israeli occupation authorities.
President Abbas affirmed the unity of the Palestinian land in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem under the jurisdiction of the State of Palestine. He affirmed that the State of Palestine “will not abandon [its] people in Gaza. We will share the livelihood, the salaries, and the stipends in Gaza and the West Bank. We will not allow the occupation’s plans to separate Gaza from the rest of the Palestinian territory nor annex any part of it.”
The President highlighted the continuous efforts with international partners and regional allies to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression and provide comprehensive assistance to the Palestinian people in Gaza, including enabling them to return to their homes that have been destroyed by the Israeli occupation forces.
He made it clear that Israel’s withholding of the Palestinian clearance revenues would not block the State of Palestine from fulfilling its responsibilities, especially towards the people of Gaza.
The President added, “We told the world that after halting the war of genocide and displacement waged by the Israeli occupation forces, there must be a clear political path based on the foundations of international legitimacy, the Arab Peace Initiative, and international law. This path includes all the occupied Palestinian territories in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.”
“[This path] begins with recognizing the State of Palestine as a full member in the United Nations by a resolution of the Security Council,” he continued. “This is to be followed by an international peace conference that ends Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
President Abbas said that this path should “embody the full independence of [the State of Palestine] on its entire national territory, under the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole and the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.”
The President stressed the significance of Palestinian unity under the umbrella of the PLO, urging an end to the consequences of the post-2007 division and a commitment to the PLO as the legitimate and sole representative of the Palestinian people—with a view of achieving a political solution based on international legitimacy.
Furthermore, President Abbas reiterated the Palestinian leadership’s commitment to holding Israeli authorities accountable for their ongoing crimes against the Palestinian people in international forums and courts.
He acknowledged the lawsuit filed by South Africa in the International Court of Justice to halt the genocidal war waged by Israeli authorities. President Abbas stated that this legal action marks the beginning of efforts to stop the Israeli aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing, with more initiatives planned on the international legal front.
He also highlighted previous referrals made by the State of Palestine to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court in this regard.
(WAFA)
