RAMALLAH, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday called on the international community to halt Israeli attacks, settlement activities and forced displacement, and to provide protection for the Palestinian people.
In a press statement issued on the eve of the 38th anniversary of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence, Abbas said the anniversary represents an important national and historical milestone in the Palestinian people's struggle for freedom, sovereignty and the establishment of an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
He stressed that the Palestinian people's right to independence is not merely a slogan, but an established historical and legal reality recognized by international legitimacy, adding that no power can undermine this right or erase the existence and national rights of the Palestinian people.
"Our choice is a just and comprehensive peace based on international legitimacy resolutions and the two-state solution, along the June 4, 1967 borders," said Abbas.
He also reaffirmed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the territory of the State of Palestine, stressing the need to strengthen the resilience of its residents, alleviate their suffering, and rebuild areas destroyed during Israeli military operations.
He called for unifying national institutions in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under a single political and legal system and a unified legitimate authority.
Abbas reiterated that East Jerusalem will remain the capital of the State of Palestine, Abbas said, adding that lasting peace and stability in the region cannot be achieved without ending the Israeli occupation and enabling Palestinians to exercise their legitimate national rights.
He called for holding Israel accountable for its violations of international law and urged international efforts to enable the State of Palestine to obtain full membership in the United Nations.
Late Palestinian leader Yaser Arafat, who died in a French Hospital on Nov. 11, 2004, made the Palestinian declaration of independence when the Palestinian National Council, better known as the Palestinian parliament in exile, was held in Algeria on Nov. 15, 1988. ■
