PRESIDENT Mahmoud Abbas told the summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Wednesday that, ‘We are here today for all of us to speak in a clear language: Jerusalem has been, and will remain forever, the capital of the State of Palestine and its crown without which there will be no peace, nor stability.’
e continued: ‘President Trump’s declaration that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and his instructions to move the US embassy to it is a flagrant violation of international law and signed agreements, especially Security Council resolutions, and a provocation to the international community …
Abbas insisted: ‘Thus the United States has chosen to lose its eligibility as an intermediary and to have no role in the political process.’ He added: ‘There can be no Palestinian state without the city of Jerusalem as its capital and there will be no peace in the region and in the world without it … So we reject the decisions of the US Congress, which considers the PLO a terrorist organisation, and demand their cancellation.
‘We have complied with all understandings between us and successive US administrations, including this administration, but these illegal resolutions on Jerusalem have crossed all red lines, which will not make it possible to keep our commitments unilaterally. We have agreed with them that we do not join international organisations on condition the US does not recognise Jerusalem nor move its embassy and demand that Israel stop settlements.’
Abbas then addressed the big issue: ‘The great question posed by this new challenge is what are we and you going to do about it?’ He answered his own question stating: ‘In all our conferences and decisions, we have agreed that Jerusalem is a red line, and now we must translate all this into actions that force the United States to go back on this sin and prevent other countries from taking similar steps …
‘In order to face the challenges facing Jerusalem these days, we urge you to confirm the dispatch of the ministers and official representatives of our sister Arab and Islamic countries to participate in the celebration of the launch of the declaration of “Jerusalem as the Capital of Islamic Youth” on 28 January 2018 on the land of the State of Palestine …
‘It is no longer possible to continue to deal with Israel as if nothing has happened. It is necessary to take political and economic positions and measures towards it by all, and to compel it to comply with the will of the international community to end its occupation of the land of the State of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital and to implement international humanitarian law.
‘To demand that the countries of the world review their recognition of the State of Israel as long as it persists in violating the rules of international law and violating all international resolutions since its establishment in 1948 …
‘To warn against the recognition of the city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the establishment of any diplomatic mission there or move them to the city as a violation of international law and a clear attack on the Arab and Islamic nations, the rights of Christians and Muslims and the national rights of the Palestinian people …
‘It is time to call upon the states that believe in a two-state solution to take practical steps toward recognising the State of Palestine on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, which will enhance security, stability and peace in our region and the world …
‘We call upon you to intensify your efforts to achieve full membership for the State of Palestine in the United Nations on the basis of resolution 67/19 … The continuation of Israel’s violations and colonial practices, especially in Jerusalem, exempts us from the agreements signed with them, since we cannot remain an authority without authority and under occupation without cost, which calls on us to re-evaluate the situation through our Palestinian frameworks and consultations with the brothers and friends in order to deal with the Government of the State of Palestine, which will perform its functions as an alternative to the Palestinian National Authority.’
Abbas has made the call. The UK working class must answer it and give it their full support!
