Abbas shows his willingness to work with the US to “restore dialogue” and “end the occupation”

Palestinian president accuses Israel of “undermining the two-state solution” and criticizes international inaction

31 Jan. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmud Abbas, conveyed this Tuesday to the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, his willingness to “work” with Washington and the international community to “restore political dialogue” with the aim of “putting an end to the Israeli occupation.

“We have always shown commitment to international resolutions, the renunciation of violence and terrorism and respect for the signed agreements,” said Abbas, before denouncing that the rise in tensions in the area is the “responsibility” of the Government of Israel, which he has accused of “undermining the two-state solution and violating the signed agreements.”

Abbas has lamented “the lack of international efforts to dismantle the occupation, put an end to the settlement system and not recognize the Palestinian State”, before indicating that this position “encourages the Israeli occupier to commit more crimes and violate International Law”.

Thus, he has reiterated his accusations of “ethnic cleansing” against the Palestinians with Israeli “unilateral operations”, including settlements, the annexation of territories, attacks by settlers, the displacement of Palestinians and the “violation” of the ‘ status quo’ in holy places.

“We have taken a series of decisions that we have begun to apply to protect the interests of our people after exhausting all means to stop Israel’s violations,” Abbas said, as reported by the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

For this reason, it has emphasized that “the total cessation of Israeli unilateral actions (…) is the main starting point to resume the political horizon and put an end to the occupation in line with international references and the Arab Initiative for Peace, with the aim of achieving peace, stability and security for all in the region and the world”.

Along these lines, he has indicated that the Palestinian people “will not accept that the occupation continues forever.” “Regional security will not be increased by desecrating the holy places, trampling on the rights of the Palestinians and ignoring their legitimate rights to freedom, dignity and independence.”

Tensions have risen in recent months, including the killing of around 30 Palestinians so far this year in security operations and clashes with Israeli security forces. On Friday, seven people were killed in an attack carried out by a Palestinian in the Neve Yaakov settlement, while two other Israelis were wounded on Saturday after being shot by a thirteen-year-old Palestinian.