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RAMALLAH, Nov 11 (KUNA) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed on
Thursday that his authority adheres to the national principles whatever the
challenges might be.
"The Palestinian National Authority will never cede any of the national
constants (rights) outlined in 1988," he said, apparently referring to the
Algiers Declaration of the Palestinian State by the Palestine Liberation
Organization (PLO).
Abbas made the remarks in an address to a mass rally held to commemorate
the anniversary of late PLO chairman Yasser Arafat.
"The Palestinian position is firm - we seek a state without settlements and
Jerusalem as our capital. We press also for unconditional return of the
refugees to our homeland and the release of (Palestinian) prisoners at the
prisons of the (Israeli) occupation," he underscored, noting that peace is the
main prerequisite of stability in the Middle East region.
Abbas wondered why Israel refuses the Arab peace initiative which provides
for Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian territories, the Syrian Golan
Heights and Lebanon's Ghajar village.
He accused the government of Tel Aviv of planting obstacles before the
peace process through insistence on continued settlement activity as well as
the demand (for the Palestinians) to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
"This will never happen. We will never achieve their goals and dreams," he
stressed, warning that the Israeli government closed all doors for peace.
"The Arab Peace Initiative is an opportunity which is still on the table.
Yet, the Palestinian leaders still believe in the peaceful popular resistance,
" he said, adding that he supports resistance as long as there are settlements
and the separation wall.
He explained that the Palestinian Authority was seeking to end the
Palestinian division and achieve reconciliation, noting that the authority is
waiting what will come of the ongoing Damascus dialogues.
Abbas reiterated the desire of his Fatah movement to continue the dialogue
with Hamas and to achieve reconciliation away from personal or partisan
agendas of both sides.
In his speech, Abbas spoke about the late President Arafat and praised him,
saying, "He dreamt for just and comprehensive peace in the holy land." (end)
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