RAMALLAH (BNO NEWS) — President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday urged Palestinians to participate in a non-violent resistance against Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, the Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported on Thursday.
“I call for the widest participation in the popular resistance,” he said at a ceremony held to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. “Everyone, rank and file, should join this resistance to show the world that resistance is our right and to prove that Israel is the aggressor.”
“We are peace seekers and we resist peacefully,” he added. “This is my position and I will not change it.”
Abbas said the Palestinian people will not accept and give in to the Israeli occupation, but that they will resist it in any way possible. He said the Palestinians asserted their position at the United Nations when they applied for full membership in the international body on September 23, which the United States is likely to veto.
“If we do not get it (membership) today, we will get it tomorrow, or after tomorrow. We will not go back on our request. This is our right,” Abbas said.
About 120 out of 193 countries have currently recognized the State of Palestine and those are seen as possible supporters if the UN General Assembly votes on the issue. If the UN Security Council resolution to recognize Palestine is approved, Palestine would become the 194th member of the United Nations.
Abbas said that the United States remains a friend of the Palestinian people in spite of its strong support for Israel. However, he added, if U.S. policy contradicts with Palestinian interest, he will not hesitate to tell it “no.”
In May, U.S. President Barack Obama called on the Israelis and Palestinians to renew peace talks for a two-state solution based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed upon swaps. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected the solution based on the 1967 borders as that measure would leave a large population of Israelis in Judea and Samaria outside Israel’s borders.
Abbas said negotiations with Israel will not resume before it accepts the 1967 lines as the borders of the Palestinian state and stops all settlement activities. “Without these two conditions, there will be no negotiations,” he said.
Last year, Israel and the Palestinian Authority stalled the peace negotiations, which were supported by the United States and the United Nations, after the Jewish nation refused to extend a moratorium on settlement building in occupied Palestinian territory.
In response, President Abbas broke off direct talks as recommended by Hamas. Israel resumed settlement constructions even though they were labeled as a violation of international law by the international community.
Finally, Abbas said he will meet Hamas leader Khaled Mishaal on November 23 to discuss the reconciliation agreement between his Fatah party and Hamas. They will also discuss the formation of a government of technocrats to prepare for presidential and legislative elections.
Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.
We will delete comments that:
See our full comment/user policy/agreement.