Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday urged the international community to protect the two-state solution, in a message aimed at Israel and the new U.S. administration of President Donald Trump.
At a White House meeting earlier this month, both Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, appeared to back away from the internationally supported idea of the establishment of an independent Palestine alongside Israel.
In an address to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Abbas called on states that believe in two states “to come to the defense of that solution” and recognize the state of Palestine.
“We also reiterate our readiness and willingness to cooperate with all countries, including the US administration of President [Donald] Trump, toward the achievement of peace on the basis of international law and international resolutions,” Abbas added.
Urging the US not to move its embassy to Jerusalem, Abbas also said: “We warn concerned parties not to take steps that contribute to strengthening the Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine.
#’Defend two-state solution’ says Palestinian leader https://t.co/DIvAn1UaEU pic.twitter.com/lD5nSBSECX #NEWS
— The Ankara Times (@TheAnkaraTimes) February 27, 2017
“This includes support [for] the Israeli settlement enterprise, attacks against holy places, or moving embassies to Jerusalem.”
During his election campaign, Donald Trump’s campaign team hinted at plan to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, something which is opposed by Palestinians.
“Today we reiterate our demand for the establishment of an international protection system for the Palestinian people, which will put an end to Israeli violations of Palestinian basic rights, compel Israel to cease confiscation on Palestinian land, and stop the seizure of underground water resources,” Abbas said.
Abbas also hit out at recent Israeli plans to authorize the construction of more settlements on occupied Palestinian land. He said recent legislation passed in the Israeli Knesset [parliament] legalized the theft of such land, creating “a very dangerous precedent, which we, and the international community vehemently reject”.
