RAMALLAH, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday that the Israeli practices in Palestine are rejected and will be confronted with peaceful popular resistance.
In a Christmas message published by the official Palestinian News Agency, Abbas called on the international community "to break its silence and take concrete measures to stop Israeli crimes, including colonial-settlement expansion and ongoing annexation, the consolidation of a racist apartheid regime, attempts at changing the identity and the character of the city of Jerusalem."
"The only way for all the peoples of the region to enjoy security, stability, prosperity and good neighborliness is for the Palestinian people to obtain their legitimate rights, which were approved by the UN resolutions," said Abbas.
"The Palestinians are looking to end the Israeli occupation and establish their independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital and the return of refugees," he added.
Christmas celebrations in Palestine, titled "the spirit of Christmas brings us together in the Palestinian territories," come amid escalating tensions between the Palestinians and the Israeli army in the West Bank. ■
