Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has reiterated that Palestine is not for sale. He made the remarks in his opening speech at a meeting of Fatah's central committee in the central West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday.
Referring to his participation in the African Union summit that ended in Addis Ababa last Saturday, Abbas said he reiterated Palestine's firm position against any attempt to displace the Palestinian people.
"Palestine is not for sale," he said, reiterating Palestine's firm position that no part of its territory, including Gaza, the West Bank or Jerusalem, will be given up.
Abbas stressed the importance of adhering to international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative as the basis for any political solution to the Palestinian issue.
The Arab Peace Initiative adopted at the 2002 Arab League summit in Beirut called for the establishment of a recognized Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, in exchange for Arab states recognizing Israel and normalizing relations.
Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the statement by UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed during a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, in which he reiterated his country's firm rejection of any attempt to displace the Palestinian people. He also stressed that the reconstruction of Gaza must be included in the path of comprehensive peace.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he would "occupy" Gaza and rehabilitate its people, renovating the enclave as the "Riviera of the Middle East." The Arab world and other countries have strongly rejected the idea, saying it amounts to "ethnic cleansing."
A ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement in Gaza went into effect on January 19, halting Israel's genocidal war that has killed some 48,300 Palestinians and reduced the enclave to rubble.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
There is also a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice for its war against the enclave.
Source: Anadolu Agency
