RAMALLAH, January 5, 2023 – President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed tonight that the Palestinian leadership “will continue to take all legal measures permitted under international legitimacy to respond to the Israeli government’s actions,” including the recent storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli far-right Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Speaking at the opening of a meeting of the PLO Executive Committee in Ramallah, President Abbas said, “We will discuss all these issues, whether related to the Israeli government or to the U.S. administration—because it is no secret that the party standing behind this Israeli policy is the American administration.”

The President continued:
“I affirm that the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque marks the beginning of the implementation of the Netanyahu government’s policy, which we categorically reject. We have heard widespread condemnation of this act from countries around the world, as well as within Israel itself. Many segments of Israeli society reject this policy—not out of sympathy for us, but out of concern for the State of Israel and its future.”

“Following Minister Ben-Gvir’s storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, we immediately approached the UN Security Council. Within hours, the Council will convene to discuss this matter,” he added. “We hope that those who have previously used the veto will refrain from doing so this time, especially since most countries of the world have condemned this act.”

He stressed, “We cannot remain silent in the face of such actions.”

President Abbas further noted that “the International Action Committee has already begun its work and preparations for coordinated international moves. At the same time, we are taking steps at the local and regional levels in response to the program presented by the new Netanyahu government—a program that cannot, under any circumstances, be tolerated.”

He went on to highlight upcoming international efforts, stating, “In a few months, a historic event will take place—the United Nations will officially commemorate the Nakba for the first time in its history, after decades of denial by Israel, the United States, and several Western countries.”

The President concluded:
“We will also proceed to the International Court of Justice to determine the legal nature of the occupation. It took a long and difficult effort for this resolution to pass and move from the General Assembly to the Court, and it is now before the judges. We hope the Court will expedite its ruling. Despite the immense pressure we faced to withdraw this step, we will never relinquish our rights.”