Hawzah News Agency - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called today for an inclusive intra-Palestinian national dialogue with the engagement of all the factions and national actors, aimed at defying the robust challenges and conspiracies facing the Palestinian cause at this time.
Speaking at the opening remarks of the meeting of the secretary-generals of the Palestinian factions, held in Ramallah and Beirut via videoconference, the President called on Fatah and Hamas in particular, the two main leading factions, to engage in an inclusive dialogue to find ways out of the current state of division. He said such dialogue should be based on the principles of one people and one political system, aimed at the fulfillment of the aspirations and goals of the Palestinian people.
“We will make the necessary arrangements for the Palestinian Central Council to convene as soon as possible. Until that time we’ll agree on the necessary mechanisms to end the division and achieve reconciliation and national partnership in a time-bound manner and with the participation of all,” said President Abbas.
He added, “This meeting comes at a very dangerous stage, in which our national cause is facing various conspiracies and dangers, the most prominent of which are the “deal of the century”, the Israeli annexation plans… and the normalization projects that the [Israeli] occupation is using as a poisoned dagger to stab our people and our nation. Whoever accepts annexation is a traitor of the homeland and of our cause.”
The President affirmed, “Our national decision is our exclusive right, and we cannot accept anyone speaking in our name. We have not and will not authorize anyone to do so. The Palestinian decision is the right of the Palestinians alone, and we have paid a dear price for it.”
He stressed that “the Palestine Liberation Organization will remain the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people,” and that all national forces and factions must all join the PLO in order to protect and reinforce its status as an umbrella of all the Palestinians in the homeland and in the diaspora.
Meanwhile, President Abbas said the Palestinians can no longer accept the United States as a single broker of any future peace negotiations.
He said that the Arab countries, and following the upcoming Arab League meeting, to be headed by the State of Palestine, will have to reaffirm their commitment to the Arab Peace Initiative. The President added that the Arab neighbors will have to recognize the fact that they shall not normalize their relations with the occupying state of Israel until the latter ends its occupation, and until the Palestinian people have gained their independence with their sovereign and contiguous state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
For his part, Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh stressed that the Palestinians will never abandon their right to regain the entire Palestine, “nor will they acknowledge the existence of the occupation entity of ‘Israel.”
Hanuyah reiterated commitment to the resistance path, warning that the “Deal of the Century” endangers all the Palestinians and their rights.
S.G. of Islamic Jihad Movement urged unity among all the Palestinians, adding many of the Palestinians are frustrated and expect the conferees to make achievements.