NEW YORK: President Mahmoud Abbas met on Sunday with President of the European Council, Charles Michel, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

During the meeting, President Abbas highlighted the strong relations between Palestine and the European Union, expressing deep gratitude for the EU’s political support of the two-state solution based on international law.

The president highly appreciated the EU economic support for the building of state institutions and vital infrastructure and in particular its support for the development and reform programs undertaken by the Palestinian government.

President Abbas provided an update on recent Palestinian developments, emphasizing efforts to stop the widespread aggression by the Israeli occupation, expedite humanitarian aid, and secure the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the entire Gaza Strip. He also addressed the ongoing violence by Israeli forces and terrorist colonists in the West Bank.

The president stressed
that the only way to resolve the escalation in the region is through a political solution based on international law and international legitimacy resolutions in accordance with the two-state solution, leading to the end of the Israeli occupation and the full realization of an independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

President Abbas called on the President of the European Council to exert action at all levels and take concrete steps to protect the two-state solution based on resolutions of international legitimacy, and to implement the UN General Assembly resolution which demands that Israel brings to an end without delay its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, no later than 12 months from the adoption of the resolution.

President Abbas emphasized the need to support the Palestinian bid for full membership in the United Nations and called on European countries to follow the example set by Spain, Norway, Ireland, Slovenia, and Armenia in recognizing the State of
Palestine.

The president appreciated the support provided by the European Union to Palestine and its people in various fields, the latest of which was the emergency financial support package to address the difficult financial and economic situation, calling for the development of the European-Palestinian Partnership Agreement as soon as possible.

The president further called for pressuring Israel to end its financial blockade, particularly its continued withholding of PA tax revenues and strangling of Palestinian economy.

Source: Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA