Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has emphasized the need for his country to be granted full UN membership to achieve peace and security in the region.
"Peace and security can only be achieved by granting the State of Palestine full membership in the United Nations, along with the complete withdrawal of Israeli occupation forces from the territory of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, to the borders of June 4, 1967," Abbas was quoted as saying by the Palestinian news agency WAFA during his meeting with Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib in Ramallah, West Bank.
The president stated, "Palestine strongly opposes the resettlement of any Palestinian citizen, whether in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, including East Jerusalem." He reiterated that "the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the State of Palestine."
Abbas also highlighted the need for continued support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees.
The situation in the Middle East escalated sharply after fighters from the Palestinian movement Hamas infiltrated Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023. Israel responded with retaliatory strikes against the Palestinian enclave and parts of Lebanon and Syria. On December 1, the Israeli army accused Hamas of violating the truce that had been in effect since November 24 and announced that it would resume fighting in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian authorities held the United States responsible for the renewed Israeli aggression. Since the beginning of the conflict's escalation, the number of victims in the enclave has exceeded 32,000.
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Based on materials from TASS