President Mahmoud Abbas received today a delegation from Churches for Middle East Peace, headed by the executive director, Mae Elise Cannon, with the presence of members of the Higher Presidential Committee for Churches Affairs in Palestine, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian and Dr. Omar Awadallah.
During a meeting in Ramallah, President Abbas briefed the delegation on the latest political developments and the conditions facing the Palestinian people as a result of the occupation and its ongoing aggression.
The President stressed the need to stop the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people through an immediate ceasefire and an end to the genocide, especially in the Gaza Strip, in order to spare civilians from the scourge of bombings, killings and destruction committed by the Israeli killing machines.
President Abbas reiterated the need to open all crossings with the Strip and double the entry of relief, medical and food aid.
He stressed the need to provide the Strip with water, electricity and fuel as quickly as possible and necessary aid to enable hospitals and basic facilities to resume their work in treating thousands of wounded and providing their services to the Palestinian people.
The President also emphasized the need to oblige Israel to stop its aggression against the Palestinian people in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, including its invasions of Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps, the killing of civilians and the destruction of infrastructure.
He further stressed the need to pressure Israel to stop its attacks on Islamic and Christian sanctities and crimes of ethnic cleansing, among other crimes.
The President reiterated his rejection of the forced displacement of the Palestinian people, whether in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, including Jerusalem, noting that the West Bank is witnessing forced displacement and silent annexation of Palestinian land by terrorist colonizers and the occupation army.
President Abbas stressed that the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the Palestinian state, and it is not possible to accept or deal with the plans of the occupation authorities to separate it or any part of it, affirming the continued Palestinian Authority’s role in Gaza and that the PA has never left Gaza.
He also emphasized the necessity of releasing the Palestinian clearance funds withheld by Israel, affirming that the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip will have priority and will not be abandoned.
The President appreciated the positions of the Middle East Council of Churches in support of reaching a ceasefire, providing humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and achieving a just peace based on international law.
He further praised its continued support for the Palestinian people, particularly its support for the Christian presence in the Holy Land.
He stressed that the Christian presence is authentic in Palestine and the Holy Lands as well as in the Palestinian society, which is committed to the values of coexistence, love and brotherhood.
The delegation in turn expressed its thanks and appreciation for the positions of President Abbas and his tireless pursuit of achieving peace and stability in the region and the world.
It affirmed the Council’s adherence to peace and granting the Palestinian people their freedom and independence so that the peoples of the world can enjoy security and peace in accordance with international law.
