During his speech at the United Nations, on Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas intends to present a bid aiming at setting a timeline for ending Israel’s illegitimate occupation, and establishing an independent Palestinian State.The Palestinian President stated that peace talks with Tel Aviv are constantly obstructed by Israel’s violations, which include the construction and expansion of Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank, in and around occupied Jerusalem, in addition to its ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people and their lands.
He said his speech would outline a “vision’ the Palestinian leadership will be taking and acting upon, in order to end the occupation and achieve independence.
Abbas intends to deliver his speech and plan at noon on Friday during the UN General Assembly’s 69th general debate which started on September 23.
Ma’an News Agency has reported that its correspondent in New York interviewed Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, who said that Palestinian leadership is now convinced that the US-backed “peace talks” with Tel Aviv have reached a dead end.
Erekat added that the United States is still opposing any Palestinian bid at the United Nations and its affiliate organizations, but said the Palestinians believe this is the only possible move amidst the current situation, especially after Israel’s latest aggression on Gaza which left more than 2137 Palestinians dead, and at least 11100 wounded.
The number includes 578 children, 264 women, and 103 elderly, while more than 11100, including 3374 children, 2088 women and 410 elderly, have been injured.
Erekat told Ma’an that Palestinian Representative at the UN, Riyadh Mansour, believes the Palestinian application needs 2 to 3 weeks before it becomes a blueprint, while Tel Aviv and Washington are opposing any UN move, dubbing it as a counterproductive and unilateral.
Ma’an said that President Abbas blocked, earlier in September, any Palestinian attempt to bring war crimes charges against Israel at the International Criminal Court, for its ongoing wars and violations against the civilians, apparently to “push his new strategy” aiming at setting a clear timeline for Israel’s complete withdrawal from the occupied territories.
Whenever the Palestinians have conducted a move at the UN, including when they managed to achieve an observer state status, or when the managed to join any UN organization, Israel and the United States have imposed sanctions on the P.A.
Such sanctions include cutting U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority, while Israel also blocks the transfer of Palestinian tax money it collects from West Bank border terminals on behalf of the P.A., which does not have any “control” over borders in the West Bank.
Israel charges the P.A. %3 interest each month for collecting tax money, and constantly uses the transfer as a means to pressure the P.A. into stopping its international moves.
UPDATE 09/26/14: President Abbas’ full speech here.
