RAMALLAH, Wednesday, June 8, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas affirmed today that Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine, is not for sale, and that all Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city are Palestinian.

Speaking via phone at the Conference on Property Documentation and the Historical Status of the Holy Al-Aqsa Mosque, held at the headquarters of the Red Crescent Society in al-Bireh, President Abbas stressed:
“We will not allow or accept any changes to the legal and historical status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque, regardless of the circumstances.”

He reiterated that “our conflict with the occupation is essentially a political one, not a conflict with any religion,” and emphasized that “Jerusalem and Palestine are not for sale. We have thwarted all suspicious schemes aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause, particularly the so-called 'Deal of the Century'.”

Below is an unofficial translation of President Abbas's speech:

Greetings to Jerusalem and its people. Greetings to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and the steadfast Murabitun. Greetings to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and its resilient community. Special greetings to all participants in this conference, dedicated to Property Documentation and the Historical Status of Al-Aqsa Mosque, held to defend our religious and historical narrative against the false and baseless narrative of the occupation — one that has no roots in history, reality, or international law.

All historical evidence and documents affirm the identity of Jerusalem, Al-Aqsa Mosque, and all Islamic and Christian holy sites in our eternal capital. We also have the divine proof in the Qur’anic verse of Al-Isra: “Glory be to Him who took His servant by night from Al-Masjid al-Haram to Al-Aqsa Mosque, whose surroundings We have blessed.”

This conference is of great importance as it confirms the Palestinian national, religious, legal, and historical rights, while reaffirming that our conflict is fundamentally political, not religious.

We stand firm on our land and in our holy places, defending our inalienable rights with full respect for the historical status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque and all the sanctities of Jerusalem. We will not allow or accept any alteration to this status quo — under any circumstances.

I listened to the speech of His Royal Highness Prince Hassan, and we had wished for his presence among us today. We, alongside our brothers in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, stand united in the defense of Jerusalem, and we take pride in the Hashemite custodianship established under the historical agreement signed in 2015 with my brother, His Majesty King Abdullah II.

Finally, I say: Jerusalem and Palestine are not for sale. We have defeated all suspicious attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause, foremost among them the Deal of the Century. We will not forget the blood of martyr Shireen Abu Akleh and all our righteous martyrs. We will continue our struggle and popular resistance until the State of Palestine is established, with East Jerusalem as its eternal capital.”