Abbas tells U.N. Israeli actions might result in ‘one state’ By Reuters

By Ali Sawafta and Rami Ayyub

RAMALLAH, West Financial institution (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel on Friday of destroying the two-state answer with actions he stated could lead on Palestinians to demand equal rights inside one binational state comprising Israel, the occupied West Financial institution and Gaza.

Addressing the U.N. Common Meeting by way of video hyperlink from the West Financial institution, Abbas, 85, urged the worldwide neighborhood to behave to save lots of the two-state system that for many years has been the bedrock of diplomacy for the Israeli-Palestinian battle.

Abbas stated Israel was “destroying the prospect of a political settlement primarily based on the two-state answer” by way of its settlements on West Financial institution land it captured within the 1967 Center East conflict.

Most international locations view the settlements as unlawful, a place Israel disputes.

“If the Israeli occupation authorities proceed to entrench the truth of 1 apartheid state as is occurring in the present day, our Palestinian individuals and the complete world won’t tolerate such a state of affairs,” Abbas stated. Israel rejects accusations of apartheid.

“Circumstances on the bottom will inevitably impose equal and full political rights for all on the land of historic Palestine, inside one state. In all instances, Israel has to decide on,” Abbas stated from Ramallah, the seat of his Palestinian Authority, which has restricted self-rule within the West Financial institution.

There was no rapid Israeli touch upon Abbas’ remarks.

Critics say inner Palestinian divisions have additionally contributed to the impasse in U.S.-sponsored peace talks, which collapsed in 2014.

Underneath interim peace accords with Israel, Abbas’ PA was meant to train management in Gaza as nicely. However his Islamist rivals Hamas seized the coastal enclave in 2007 and years of on-and-off talks have failed to interrupt their deadlock.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, a far-rightist who sits atop a cross-partisan coalition, opposes Palestinian statehood. His authorities has vowed to keep away from delicate selections in direction of the Palestinians and as a substitute deal with financial points.

In his U.N. tackle, Abbas threatened to rescind the Palestinians’ recognition of Israel if it doesn’t withdraw from the West Financial institution, Gaza and East Jerusalem inside a 12 months.

“If this isn’t achieved, why keep recognition of Israel primarily based on the 1967 borders? Why keep this recognition?” Abbas stated.

Whereas some Palestinians and Israelis help the concept of a single binational state, most have very completely different concepts of what that entity would appear like and the way it might be ruled.

Most analysts contend a single state wouldn’t be viable, for non secular, political and demographic causes. Israeli governments have seen a one-state idea as undermining the essence of an impartial Jewish state.

U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated his help for the two-state answer throughout his personal U.N. tackle on Tuesday, saying it might guarantee “Israel’s future as a Jewish, democratic state dwelling in peace alongside a viable and democratic Palestinian state.”