Palestinian President praises French efforts, Supports International Peace Conference

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Thursday praised the efforts exerted to support the French peace initiative and expressed hopes that such efforts would lead to holding an international peace conference.

    Abbas addressed the European Parliament in Brussels and commented on the ministerial meeting held in Paris in the presence of 28 states and three international organizations, saying "We hope to see results based on the international law, related Security Council resolutions, the Arab peace initiative and the roadmap. 

    We want to set a timeframe for negotiations as well as form a follow-up mechanism similar to the one with Iran." "We, the Arabs and the majority of world countries support the French efforts. As Palestinians and Arabs we stand united to defeat terrorism and extremism," he was quoted by Palestinian WAFA news agency as saying.

    He reiterated Palestinians’ position supporting the two-state solution based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as Palestinians' capital, land swaps and a solution to the refugees issue based on the 194 resolution asserted also in the Arab peace initiative.

    "Is it possible that the Palestinian people remain denied their right to enjoy their own state? Isn’t it the time for Palestinians to enjoy freedom without restrictions, obstacles, checkpoints, gates or bridges that open and close according to the Israeli occupation’s army’s mood?" He said Palestinians in Palestine continue to live under the occupation’s tyranny and its arbitrary measures and obnoxious racism, while the refugees continue to live in misery and deprivation.

    Abbas said despite all obstacles, the Palestinian people are determined to end the Israeli occupation through political, diplomatic and nonviolent means. "We have come a long way and we succeeded on the international level." He affirmed that the Palestinian people are not aspiring to erase anyone from the map, but will not allow anyone to attempt erasing Palestinian from the map.

    "The ongoing denial of Palestinians’ rights will only serve extremists and generate terror and violence. Do not turn the Palestinian cause into an excuse for those who support extremists, and instead make it an example for justice, peace, freedom and fairness." Abbas explained that the Palestinian people look up to the European Union and member states to continue efforts and play an active political and diplomatic to reach a peaceful and just solution based on the 1967 borders and the international legitimacy resolutions.

    On the internal Israeli level, Abbas said Israel is witnessing a shift to violence and extremism to the point where many Israeli politicians are criticizing the government for its fascist and racist actions.

    Abbas affirmed that Palestine has the ingredients for a state, due to the generous support of the EU and neighboring states. He asked the EU to maintain its support to the Palestinian people.

Source: QNA