Abbas Set to Submit UN Resolution on Borders and Ending Occupation
A resolution demanding the 1967 lines as the borders of a Palestinian state and an end to the Israeli occupation will be submitted to the UN Security Council later this month, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday.
In an interview with Palestinian television to mark the 10th anniversary of Yasser Arafat’s death, Abbas said the resolution would define the entire West Bank and East Jerusalem as Palestinian territory.
“We’ll demand a timetable for ending the occupation, and the process of applying to UN institutions, including the International Criminal Court, will continue,” Abbas said. “We demand recognition of our rights.”
While some people have urged him to delay submitting the resolution, Abbas said he rejected their advice.
“We’re doing what we consider right and we won’t listen to them,” he said. “This is a long battle, and God willing, we’ll obtain our rights.”
Also Thursday, Hamas urged West Bank Palestinians to take part in marches at the end of Friday prayers to “protect” Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque from the “Zionist siege.”
Marchers are due to depart from Ramallah, al-Bireh, Hebron and Nablus and head toward Israeli checkpoints, which could result in clashes.
Abbas’ Fatah party hasn’t made a similar call, but the marches might still draw large crowds.
A group of 30 Israeli Arabs set out from Jaffa on Thursday to march to Al-Aqsa, but this was purely a local initiative. The goal was to show support for the mosque.
Jack Khoury
Haaretz