RAMALLAH, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye on Friday called on the United Nations to present an initiative for peace in the Middle East to end the conflict with Israel.
Ishtaye made the remarks during a virtual meeting organized by the UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) at the UN headquarters in New York to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
He urged UN members "to support Palestine's application to gain full membership in the UN, put pressure on Israel to allow general elections to be held in Palestine, and hold Israel accountable for crimes it committed against the Palestinians."
The Palestinians want to establish an independent state alongside Israel on the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1967, including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reaffirmed the two-state solution on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
"The United Nations' position is clear: peace must advance, the occupation must end. We are steadfast in our commitment to realize the vision of two states -- Israel and Palestine -- living side by side in peace and security, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states," he said in a message. ■
