Palestinian president says the Gaza war must end, and the conference needed to settle.

Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, issued a plea on Friday for an immediate stop to the conflict in Gaza as well as an international peace conference to be held in order to find a long-term political solution that would ultimately result in the foundation of a Palestinian state.

Abbas, who is 87 years old, stated that the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians in general has reached a worrisome stage that calls for an international conference and assurances from global powers. He made this statement during an interview with Reuters in his office in Ramallah.

In addition to Israel’s conflict with Hamas in Gaza, he stated that Israeli troops had increased their attacks over the whole occupied West Bank over the past year, with Israelis increasing the level of violence against Palestinian villages.

The long-standing occupation was ended by diplomacy rather than through violent opposition, as he restated his viewpoint, which he has held for a long time.

I am a member of the nonviolent resistance. He stated, “I am in favor of negotiations that are based on an international peace conference and that are conducted under international auspices. These negotiations would lead to a solution that would be protected by world powers which would result in the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.”

At the same time that Israel was increasing its attacks on Gaza, Abbas was speaking. Over 17,000 people have been killed, 46,000 have been injured, and over 1.9 million people have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the conflict that has lasted for two months. More than half of these people seek refuge along the Egyptian border or the central region of Gaza.

One of the most senior officials in the United States stated that the concept of holding an international conference had been discussed among many partners. However, the plan was still in the very early stages of development.

According to the official, who spoke anonymously, “It is one of many options that are on the table that we and others would consider with an open mind,” but noted that no decision had been taken.

After Hamas terrorists went on a rampage across Israeli cities on October 7, murdering 1,200 people and capturing 240 captives, Israel commenced its campaign to exterminate the Hamas movement that administers Gaza. According to Israeli accounts, the war was undertaken so that Israel could eliminate the Hamas movement.

Abbas stated that he would restore the debilitated Palestinian Authority, execute long-awaited reforms, and organize presidential and parliamentary elections, which were delayed when Hamas won in 2006 and later forced the PA out of Gaza. He added that he would do all these things based on a binding international agreement.

Although he stated that the Palestinian Authority had complied with all of the peace agreements that had been struck with Israel since the Oslo Accords of 1993 and the subsequent understandings that had been reached over the years, he also stated that Israel had broken its promises to end the occupation.

THE ELECTION OF DEMOCRATICS
In response to a question about whether or not he would be willing to risk having elections because Hamas may repeat its victory from 2006, he responded, “Whoever wins wins, these will be democratic elections.”

Abbas stated that he had intended to have elections in April 2021; however, the representative of the European Union informed him before to the deadline that Israel was expressing opposition to holding polls in East Jerusalem, which resulted in Abbas being compelled to cancel the elections.

According to him, the Palestinian Authority (PA) had previously organized three rounds of elections that included East Jerusalem before Israel enforced the prohibition. He stressed that there would be no elections without East Jerusalem having been included.

During the 1967 conflict in the Middle East, Israel took control of Arab East Jerusalem. In a subsequent step, it annexed the city and declared the entire city its capital, a decision not acknowledged by the international community. According to Palestinians, the capital of their future state should be located in East Jerusalem.

The Palestinian Authority (PA) would seize control of the strip, which is home to 2.3 million people, according to a post-war plan that was negotiated with officials from the United States. Abbas did not provide a precise picture of this plan. According to statements made by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, Israel would not tolerate the current situation in which the Palestinian Authority is in control of Gaza.

In response to a proposal that Israel has been putting up to construct a security zone in Gaza after the conflict, he stated, “The United States tells us that it supports a two-state solution, that Israel is not allowed to occupy Gaza, to keep security control of Gaza, or to expropriate land from Gaza.”

“America doesn’t force Israel to implement what it says.”

He stated that the Palestinian Authority (PA) continued to maintain its presence in Gaza as an institution and that it continued to pay monthly wages and expenditures totaling around 140 million dollars to employees, retirees, and families in need. More than three Palestinian Authority ministers are still present in Gaza, he noted.

“We need rehabilitation, we need big support to return to Gaza,” stressed President Abbas.

Today’s Gaza is not the Gaza that you are familiar with. Gaza was annihilated, including its mosques, schools, hospitals, and other educational institutions, as well as its infrastructure, buildings, and roads were devastated. Nothing is left to be claimed. As soon as we get back, we will want resources, and Gaza will require rehabilitation.

“The United States, which fully supports Israel, bears the responsibility for what is happening in the enclave,” added President Abbas.

Even though it is the only power that can tell Israel to cease the war and fulfill its duties, it does not do so. The United States of America supports Israel.