Marking the 61st anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the end of Israeli occupation and the establishment of a Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its capital.
In a televised speech aired Thursday night Fayyad said the refugee issue must be solved with the Arab Peace Initiative. He called the plan the “minimum requirement” for historical justice to be served and the only real end to the oppression of Palestinians that began with the Nakba in 1948.
For the last 61 years, Fayyad said, Israel has used “all means” to force Palestinians to surrender and conceal their national identity. “But we are here to stay and we are deeply rooted in our lands, we cling to our rights and are determined to get rid of the hideous occupation,” he said.
Joining the presentation, Abbas commented on the urgent need for “our national unity which will strengthen our demands and struggle.” He said the Palestinians have learned from history that we must not be dragged into serving regional or external agendas. “I am confident today after 61 years that the dawn is coming and the state is coming; this is the inevitability of history.”
Abbas continued, saying, “Every occupation is doomed to an end and no right shall be lost if there are people who cling and demand their rights.“
We aspire a just peace and the leaders of Israel must realize after all these years that force will never solve this conflict and that settlements and checkpoints and the wall and the siege will not kill the will of the Palestinian people,” he said.
The Nakba is commemorated on 15 May. Rallies and events were held across the West Bank and Gaza on Thursday, while Friday is expected to be a somber day of reflection and remembrance. source
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