Recent statements from Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli officials highlight contrasting visions for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly regarding the status of Gaza and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
In a series of remarks, President Abbas commended the international community for recognizing Palestinian statehood and recalled the Palestinian Authority’s past recognition of Israel’s right to exist in 1988 and again in 1993. He criticized Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, referencing reports of 65,000 fatalities and over one million displaced persons, and characterized Israel’s actions as “genocide.” Abbas also condemned calls by Israeli leaders for territorial expansion, asserting Gaza’s integral status to the State of Palestine, and affirmed the Palestinian people’s resolve to remain in Gaza and rebuild.
Conversely, Israeli officials expressed strong disagreement with these positions. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar dismissed President Abbas’s statements as “empty rhetoric” intended to appease Western audiences, stating that Israel would “not be deceived once again.” The office of the Israeli prime minister further communicated via social media that international concessions to Palestinian demands would not obligate Israel, declaring that “There will be no Palestinian state.” Additionally, Israeli officials have suggested the potential annexation of parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank as a retaliatory measure for international announcements regarding Palestinian statehood.
Source: www.nytimes.com