Abbas: End of occupation only way to ensure Israel's security
Palestinian Authority marks 60th Nakba in official Ramallah ceremony. 'It's time Palestinians have their own state, with Jerusalem as its capital,' says Palestinian president in televised speech
The Palestinian Authority marked Thursday the official 60th anniversary of the Nakba – the 1948 events that led to the 'catastrophe' of the State of Israel's inception, in a rally held in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
The event began with a two-minute siren and a moment of silence. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas addressed the Palestinian people in a special televised speech, promising them that "the time has come for the Palestinian people to establish their own state, with Jerusalem as its capital."
"The only thing that can ensure Israel's security is an end to occupation… I say again – we reach out in peace, a peace which is our strategic choice. I also have to stress that it is the settlements which are hindering the chances for peace. All the construction in the settlements and in Jerusalem must cease in order for us not to miss the chance for peace," said Abbas.
Any future peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, he added, must cover the matter of Palestinian refugees and be based on UN Resolution 194.
As for the rift between the Palestinian factions, Abbas expressed his hopes for a swift reconciliation.
Abbas then went on to note Yasser Arafat's contribution to the Palestinian struggle, saying it was Arafat who "resurrected the Palestinian ruins from under the wreckage of the Nakba and turned in into a political issue."
He ended his speech with one of Arafat's signature phrases, saying that just as the war began in Palestine, peace will emerge from it as well.
