RIYADH, December 9, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas today called on the international community not to engage with any Israeli government that does not recognize the principles of international legitimacy.

In his address before the China-Arab Summit held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, President Abbas said: “These days, we miss a partner in Israel who believes in the two-state solution based on international legitimacy, signed agreements, and the renunciation of violence and terrorism. These are the principles that we are committed to and work according to.”

He added: “Despite all this, we will not abandon our commitment to international law. We look forward, amid these difficult circumstances, to your continued efforts to mobilize international support to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.”

The President urged the international community to support Palestine’s efforts to obtain full membership in the United Nations, to convene an international peace conference, and to provide international protection for the Palestinian people, emphasizing the importance of implementing all relevant UN resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 2334 and UN General Assembly Resolutions 181 and 194.

President Abbas also called for apologies and compensation from Britain and the United States for their responsibility in issuing the Balfour Declaration and for the consequences of the British Mandate for Palestine, as well as from Israel for the massacres committed during the 1948 Nakba, which led to the destruction of hundreds of villages and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homeland.

He stated: “The continued existence of the Israeli occupation on the land of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital—after the displacement of more than half of the Palestinian people from their land more than 74 years ago—raises serious questions about the credibility of the international system.”

President Abbas noted that this system continues to allow Israel to violate international law, maintain a system of racial discrimination, and pursue unilateral actions, including colonial settlement expansion, killings, blockades, forced displacement, home demolitions, and attempts to alter the identity and character of Jerusalem.

The President reaffirmed that the State of Palestine will continue to stand firmly with China in all international forums against campaigns targeting it. He expressed deep appreciation to President Xi Jinping for his leadership and for China’s consistent support of the Palestinian people’s rights, as well as for its development cooperation programs and political backing.