Abbas seeks global meet to tackle Palestine issue
new york — Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday called for an international conference to be held by mid-2018 to pave the way for recognition of Palestinian statehood as part of a wider Middle East peace process.
In a rare address to the UN Security Council, Abbas said he would step up efforts to achieve full UN membership for Palestine and urged countries that have yet to recognise it to do so.
“To solve the Palestine question, it is essential to establish a multilateral international mechanism emanating from an international conference,” Abbas said.
His address to the top UN body came amid simmering global concern over US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise occupied Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Trump’s decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem infuriated the Palestinians, who declared that Washington could no longer play a role as lead mediator in the Middle East peace process.
Abbas said his proposed conference should lead to full UN membership for the state of Palestine, mutual recognition of Israel and Palestine, and the creation of a new international mechanism to reach a final settlement.
The Palestinian leader immediately left the council chamber following his address, leaving Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon to complain that he was once again “running away” from dialogue.
The address came just weeks after US Ambassador Nikki Haley launched a scathing attack on Abbas and accused him of lacking the courage needed for peace. —