RAMALLAH, Friday, April 22, 2022 – President Mahmoud Abbas called on the United States administration last night to immediately intervene and assume its responsibilities in light of ongoing Israeli measures in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in occupied Jerusalem.

The President made this appeal during a meeting with Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Yael Lambert, and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs, Hadi Amr, held at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.

President Abbas stressed the need for an immediate halt to Israeli attacks and violations, and called for full respect of the legal and historical status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. He held the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for the escalating tensions and deterioration of the situation.

He warned that, in the absence of a political horizon and Israel’s continued unilateral actions and failure to abide by signed agreements, the Palestinian leadership will soon be compelled to implement the decisions of the PLO Central Council.

President Abbas emphasized the importance of establishing a political horizon that leads to ending the Israeli occupation of the land of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital. He also reiterated the call for the reopening of the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, in line with the commitments previously made by the current U.S. administration.

The meeting was attended by member of the PLO Executive Committee Hussein Al-Sheikh, head of the General Intelligence Service Major General Majid Faraj, presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh, and diplomatic adviser to the President Majdi Al-Khalidi.